Islamabad, May 18 Pakistan's latest wave of arrests targeting Afghan refugees demonstrates structural shift in the country's migration governance. Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for over 40 years. However, the current raids conducted by the authorities, arrests and forced removals of Afghans showcase one of the most aggressive enforcement phases in recent years, a report has stated.
Reports indicate that around 1500 Afghan refugees have been detained in several refugee camps in recent days, with operations especially taking place in Peshawar and nearby districts. Local accounts revealed that around 100 Afghans were arrested from a mosque in the Khazana camp, Afghan Diaspora Network reported.
Residents stated that the arrest of Afghan refugees during prayer time in mosque has caused further anxiety among Afghans who already face uncertainty regarding their legal status and future. Afghan refugees have stated that police raids, document checks and arrests have intensified in recent weeks. Many families have mentioned that they are no longer able to do their daily activities in Pakistan, with children not going to schools and workers avoiding leaving homes, disrupting their livelihood.
"Since 1979, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans, at times offering hospitality and at other times imposing restrictive policies. While many Afghans integrated into local economies and communities, Pakistan never adopted a comprehensive national refugee law," Dawood Jabarkhail wrote in a report in Afghan Diaspora Network.
"Instead, it relied on temporary documentation schemes, periodic registration drives, and ad hoc enforcement measures. This legal ambiguity has left refugees perpetually vulnerable to shifts in political mood, security narratives, and bilateral tensions with Afghanistan," he further stated.
On May 8, the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) said that Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been facing arbitrary arrests, mistreatment, extortion and the threat of forced deportation.
In a report, the AMSO highlighted that more than 3.4 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan and Iran since 2023 amid escalating crackdowns on undocumented foreigners, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported.
According to the report, 68.3 per cent of surveyed Afghans said they have been arrested or imprisoned, while 96.4 per cent of detainees reported facing abuse during arrest or detention. As per the report, 85.7 per cent of respondents were forced to pay money to avoid arrest or get released from detention facilities.
The report said that 75.6 of respondents faced threats, humiliation and other forms of psychological abuse, while 72.4 per cent of respondents were detained for more than 48 hours without judicial review, Khaama Press reported.
The organisation said that none of the deported individuals received an individual risk assessment before deportation from Pakistan. The AMSO added that the report was prepared jointly with the World Organisation Against Torture and presented to the United Nations Committee Against Torture.
The findings were based on a survey conducted of 41 Afghan nationals with six in-depth interviews and documentation from organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
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