With the intensifying deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, concerns have grown among Afghan families residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Afghan families in these two Pakistani cities say they are living in difficult conditions and are calling for urgent action from migrant-supporting organizations and the Islamic Emirate.
Fereshta Mansoor, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, told “The arrest of Afghan migrants in Islamabad and Rawalpindi is accelerating. The silence of the UNHCR and other relevant agencies is questionable.”
Atiqullah Mansoor, another Afghan migrant in Pakistan, told : “Afghan migrants in Pakistan, whether they hold ACC, POR cards, or are undocumented, face many problems. The silence of the UNHCR and migrant-related agencies is questionable for us.”
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that over 128,000 Afghan migrants have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan between April and May 12, with most of the returns being forced.
Juma Khan Pouya, a migrant rights activist, told”International organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, and Afghan officials are legally obliged to engage in dialogue with the Pakistani government and, in light of international documents and conventions, prevent the deportation of migrants to Afghanistan.”
Previously, some Afghan migrants in Iran had also criticized the intensified deportation process and called for its cessation.