Afghan refugees in Pakistan face deportation fears as visa services halted

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 25 (ANI): Afghan refugees in Pakistan have raised alarm over the suspension of visa extension services, reporting growing fears of forced deportation and rising harassment by local police, Tolo News reported.
According to Tolo News, the invalidation of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards has made it increasingly difficult for Afghan nationals to remain legally in the country. The development comes amid Pakistan's ongoing campaign of mass deportations targeting Afghan refugees.
"Very difficult conditions have been created for all refugees in Islamabad. On one hand, arrests are happening day and night, and on the other hand, visa extensions have stopped. Currently, no visa or passport renewals are being processed," said Mohammad Reza Sazesh, an Afghan resident in Pakistan.
The suspension of these services follows statements by senior Pakistani officials indicating that PoR cards would no longer be renewed -- sparking fear and uncertainty within the refugee population.
"After a senior Pakistani official announced that PoR cards would no longer be extended, fear and panic spread among Afghan refugees. They can't resolve their decades-long affairs in Pakistan within a short time," said Atiqullah Mansoor, another Afghan refugee.
Tolo News reported that, in earlier waves of deportation, thousands of Afghan nationals were expelled without adequate time to collect their belongings or safeguard personal property.
"Pakistan's actions could lead to another humanitarian crisis, especially since other countries are beginning to follow suit," warned Mohammad Khan Talebi Mohammadzai, a refugee rights activist.
In addition to Pakistan's measures, Iran continues deporting Afghan migrants, adding further pressure on vulnerable populations in the region, Tolo News noted.
Meanwhile, the decline in international aid for Afghan returnees has triggered global concern over worsening economic conditions within Afghanistan itself.
This comes as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in its latest report, has flagged cases of the involuntary return of Afghan nationals from neighbouring countries, citing serious human rights violations, Tolo News reported.
According to Tolo News, the report states that a significant number of Afghan citizens have been forcibly returned from Pakistan and Iran, especially since 2023, raising major concerns over the treatment of returnees, particularly women and girls.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, "Nobody should be sent back to a country where they face risk of persecution on account of their identity or personal history. In Afghanistan, this is even more pronounced for women and girls, who are subjected to a range of measures that amount to persecution on the basis of their gender alone."
"No one should be returned to a country where they may face persecution due to their identity or personal background. This situation is particularly concerning for Afghan women and girls who are subjected to broad restrictions and pressures solely because of their gender," Tolo News quoted him as saying.
In response to Turk's remarks, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, rejected the UN's claims. "All returning migrants benefit from the general amnesty decree. No one faces political hostility, conflict, or retaliatory behavior from the authorities, and if such cases arise, the government will investigate and prevent them, and those responsible will be punished. However, minor and personal incidents have occurred in some areas, which are not political, and UNAMA should not exploit these to spread propaganda and increase concerns," Fitrat said, as per Tolo News.
Some human rights and migration experts have pointed out that both Iran and Pakistan, being members of various international human rights treaties, are obligated to adhere to refugee protection principles. They argue that the deportation of Afghan migrants amid ongoing economic and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan represents a breach of international norms.
Mohammad Hashim Alokozai, a political analyst, told Tolo News, "It is Iran, Pakistan, and also the international community that are violating human rights. Iran and Pakistan must coordinate such deportations to ensure the migrants' rights are not violated."
Tolo News further reported that official sources have confirmed the forced return of over two million Afghan migrants since October 2023, a figure that has alarmed global human rights organisations and advocacy groups. (ANI)