Pakistan Prepares to Expel Over 800,000 Undocumented Afghan Refugees in Second Phase of Controversial Plan
Pakistan is gearing up to implement the second phase of a contentious plan to repatriate undocumented Afghan refugees back to their homeland.
Scheduled to commence on Sunday, authorities are expected to expel more than 800,000 Afghans, following the forcible removal of approximately 541,000 individuals in the initial phase in November of last year.
Those who do not depart voluntarily face the threat of arrest and deportation.
The Pakistani government claims that out of the nearly 4.4 million Afghan refugees in the country, approximately 1.73 million are undocumented.
Citing security concerns and economic struggles, the government justifies the crackdown on refugees.
The move to deport comes amidst a surge in armed attacks in Pakistan, attributed by the government to groups and nationals based in Afghanistan, a claim denied by the Afghan Taliban.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative Philippa Candler urges Pakistan to assess the profiles of undocumented Afghans before expulsion, emphasizing that many are in need of international protection.
Amnesty International has cautioned about the risks of persecution facing refugees returning to Afghanistan.