Afghan refugees in Pakistan said that the Pakistani police have intensified their mistreatment of Afghan citizens.
Many of these refugees, especially in Islamabad, have expressed concern over the increasing harassment by the police and claim that the Pakistani government has given them a one-month deadline to leave the country.
“The Pakistani government has given refugees one month to leave Islamabad and Pakistan. Refugees are in a very worrisome and critical state. Unfortunately, international organizations and human rights institutions are not paying any attention to the situation of refugees in Pakistan,” Ezzatullah Bakhshi, an Afghan refugee in Islamabad
Meanwhile, some refugees who possess legal immigration cards say that they are being expelled from the country.
“Refugees who do not have cards, or those who have (Afghan Citizen Card) ACC cards or UNHCR tokens, are being completely arrested and deported to Afghanistan. Even those who have legal cards are not given any time and are being told to leave Islamabad or Rawalpindi immediately,” said Malik Mujahid Shinwari, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
At the same time, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have urged Pakistan to respect human rights laws regarding Afghan refugees and to consider their humanitarian rights in the relocation process.
“We jointly urge the Government of Pakistan to implement any relocation measures with due consideration for human rights standards, including due process, and the legal status of Proof of Registration (POR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, who have resided in Pakistan for an extended period of time,” said a joint statement by UNHCR and IOM.
“Thousands of families, including women and children, are in dire humanitarian conditions, but responsible institutions and refugee rights organizations have remained silent. Many of these refugees have official cases for resettlement in a third country, yet they continue to face threats of arrest and deportation
The Islamic Emirate has announced that all returning refugees will be provided with necessary services through the Commission for Refugee Affairs.