Afghan Women Protest Movements Demand an End to the Detention and Deportation of Afghan Refugees from Pakistan

In their letter, the movements emphasized that women and girls detained by the Pakistani police are at high risk of sexual and gender-based violence. This risk not only persists within Pakistani prisons but also threatens these individuals after deportation and forced return to an Afghanistan under Taliban control.

They noted that many refugees, particularly human rights defenders and political and social activists, have sought refuge in Pakistan to escape violence, harassment, political repression, and detention by the Taliban.

Referring to the Prime Minister of Pakistan's order setting a deadline for refugees to leave, these protest movements stated that many of these individuals are awaiting the review of their migration cases and transfer to safe destination countries. However, the Pakistani government, by increasing pressures such as raising visa renewal fees and widespread detentions, has made life more difficult for these refugees.

Afghan women protest movements have accused the Pakistani government of continuously violating human rights and international commitments. The letter states: "The behavior of the Pakistani government toward Afghan refugees is inconsistent with international human rights laws, which clearly stipulate that refugees cannot be fined or forced to be deported."

They added that the Pakistani police, disregarding these laws, have detained even children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Reports from Islamabad indicate that some detainees were released after paying money to the police, while others were deported to Afghanistan due to financial incapacity.

The Afghan women protest movements have called on both the Pakistani government and the international community to take immediate action to protect and support Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. They also demand the provision of long-term visa opportunities, the prevention of forced deportation, the safeguarding of security and dignity, the fulfillment of support needs, and the acceleration of the review process for the migration cases of Afghan women and girls in Pakistan.

This comes as, since early this year, the Pakistani government has detained hundreds of Afghan refugees in Islamabad and has intensified the process of forced deportation.