Islamabad, Sep 24 The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has voiced serious concern over reports that ailing Afghan refugees are increasingly avoiding hospitals across the country due to fear of harassment and arrest by police.
According to the HRCP, some hospitals in Pakistan have also refused treatment to patients because they do not have valid visas.
The rights body observed that especially distressing are reports of pregnant women in need of urgent medical attention who are avoiding treatment out of fear.
“Such practices not only violate basic human dignity but also contravene Pakistan’s constitutional and international human rights obligations, especially given the risk that Afghan women and girls face if forced to return to a country practicing gender apartheid,” said the HRCP.
Recently, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international medical humanitarian organisation, reported that the threat of deportation created a climate of fear among Afghans in Pakistan, with many avoiding essential medical care, leading to grave consequences on their health.
“I cannot come to the clinic for treatment because I will be arrested and deported. I have to skip my visit,” MSF quoted one of the Afghan refugees as saying.
“Since the deportations were announced, we live in constant anxiety. We avoid going out due to fear of arrest. Families are afraid to sleep at night, not knowing if there will be a raid. The children are traumatised,” said another Afghan refugee.
Earlier this month, Pakistan continued to enforce its plan to deport approximately 1.4 million Afghans who have Proof of Registration (PoR) cards despite several international organisations making repeated requests to halt deportations, local media reported.
Apart from PoR holders, around 800,000 Afghans with Afghan citizenship cards, who live in Pakistan illegally, also face deportation, according to the Pakistani officials.
Pakistan's crackdown on Afghan migrants comes amid rising concerns regarding overcrowding at key border points.
Humanitarian experts have warned that mass deportations may result in Afghan families facing heightened risks, including economic hardship, social instability, and potential exploitation along the border. International agencies have been calling on Pakistan and Afghanistan to hold talks in order to ensure the safe and humane treatment of Afghan migrants.
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