Afghan migrants in Pakistan decry mistreatment, continued arrests amid deportations

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 5 (ANI): Afghan migrants reported continued arrests and mistreatment by Pakistan as they face deportations, Tolo News reported.
According to Tolo News, Afghan migrants called for urgent international support, with the IFRC stating that they have launched an emergency appeal to support returning Afghan migrants.
Notably, a large number of Afghan migrants residing in Iran and Pakistan are complaining about various challenges in these countries.
They criticized the continued arrests and forced returns of Afghan migrants by the police in both countries and called on refugee-supporting organizations to address their problems.
As per Tolo News, many Afghan migrants in Pakistan also reported continued arrests and mistreatment by the host country, urging refugee-support organizations to seriously address their concerns.
An Afghan migrant in Pakistan, told Tolo News, "There are 1.4 million holders of PoR cards and 800,000 holders of ACC cards living here who have businesses and cannot wrap up and relocate their work in just one or two months. They are heavily involved in commercial activities in Pakistan."
Another Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: "Authorities in Afghanistan are obliged to engage, through mediation by international organizations including UNHCR and IOM and under international documents such as the Geneva Convention, in negotiations with officials in Islamabad and Tehran to resolve the issues of Afghan migrants in both countries."
Tolo News also reported that some of these migrants said that after the invalidation of census documents, Afghan migrants who went to the Kafalat office in Iran were issued exit permits.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent has issued a statement saying that due to the intensifying return crisis, the organization has launched an emergency appeal to support returning Afghan migrants.
Previously, Amnesty International had called on Pakistan to halt the detentions and deportations, stressing that these actions violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to places where they face persecution. Deporting Afghan refugees, particularly women and girls, could deprive them of safety, education, and livelihood opportunities.
In response to these developments, international organisations and advocacy groups are urging Pakistan to reconsider its deportation plans and honour its commitments to refugee protection, emphasising the importance of ensuring the safety and rights of Afghan refugees to avoid exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis. (ANI)