Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, has called on Pakistan and Iran to halt the forced deportation of Afghan refugees.
Jamal also emphasized the importance of treating Afghan refugees with dignity in neighboring countries, adding that the United Nations is prepared to cooperate with Iran and Pakistan to ensure the safe return of Afghan refugees.
He stated, “Our first message is to Pakistan and Iran, which is that you have been such generous hosts for 45 years. Please don’t stop right away; you must treat the Afghans with dignity and allow them to return safely and voluntarily.”
Jamal added that, along with other UN agencies, they are working to provide cash assistance to deported refugees and to offer health and education support.
He further explained, “What we are doing at the border, together with other UN agencies such as IOM, is providing them with cash. This cash helps them start their lives, buy land.”
Meanwhile, some Afghan refugees in Pakistan are calling on international organizations, the interim Afghan government, and the Pakistani government to address their challenges.
Ehsan Ahmadzai, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, told TOLOnews, “In this matter, Pakistan’s authorities, the Afghan government, and the international community should establish a mechanism to resolve the challenges of Afghan refugees.”
Asadullah Zaeri, an Afghan refugee in Iran, stated, “Afghan refugees in Iran naturally expect, as a brotherly, Muslim, and friendly country that has always shared in Afghanistan’s joys and sorrows, to reduce the policy of deportation with the approach of winter.”
Statistics show that the largest number of Afghan refugees reside in Iran and Pakistan. Despite repeated calls from various organizations to address the challenges of these refugees, significant action has yet to be taken in this regard.