Islamabad [Pakistan], April 7 : The United Nations human rights specialists have called on Pakistan to refrain from expelling or deporting Afghans, pointing out that reports indicate the deadline for their voluntary departure may be extended to April 10, Dawn reported.
The government has yet to announce an extension for the deadline. In a statement issued from Geneva, eleven independent human rights specialists appointed by the UN Human Rights Council urged the Pakistani government to maintain its significant role as a neighboring nation that has historically hosted Afghans fleeing their homeland.
"Considering the worsening human rights conditions in Afghanistan, sustainable solutions are essential for Afghans outside their country, with substantial backing from the wider international community," the experts stated.
"Millions of Afghans in Pakistan face the risk of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, without consideration for their legitimate protection needs, such as gender-based violence and the systematic erosion of the rights of women and girls, which violates international human rights and refugee law, and neglecting the non-return advisory from UNHCR," the experts remarked, reported Dawn.
The experts called on Pakistan to "immediately cease mass internal relocations, deportations, arrests, evictions, intimidation, and other pressures on Afghans to move back into Afghanistan, and to adhere to the absolute and non-negotiable principle of non-refoulement."
They voiced particular concern about the gendered and intersectional ramifications. The UN experts have consistently criticized Pakistan's Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan from September 2023, which has already compelled hundreds of thousands of Afghans to leave their homes and return to Afghanistan, according to Dawn.
Leading up to the March 31 deadline, the UN reported a troubling rise in the arrests of Afghans. Many fearful Afghans have reached out to the experts, worried about facing persecution by the Taliban if forced to return, as highlighted by the Dawn report.
The Dawn report also mentioned the experts' concerns regarding the return of Afghans to Afghanistan from other nations, which could violate international human rights and refugee law.
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