Ashraf Ghani on the Expulsion of Afghan Migrants: Fear Among Girls and Despair Among Youth Is Shocking

Photo: Stringer / Reuters (via Al Jazeera)

Following the mass expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the former President of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over the humanitarian consequences of this process, stating that “the fear among girls of an uncertain future and the despair among returning youth is shocking.”

In an audio message released on Thursday (July 17), Ghani warned that remaining silent in the face of this situation would lead the country toward a full-scale humanitarian disaster. He emphasized that the country is on the brink of a deep crisis and that “national will” must be united to confront it.

The former president said, “In such circumstances, we must speak openly and clearly about the sensitivity of the situation. If we remain silent, the growing crisis will lead to a full-blown human catastrophe.”

He also referred to the shift in global policies, emphasizing that the international community of the past no longer exists, is in decline, and no country is willing to accept Afghan migrants.

Ghani added that today's world is engaged in a new cold war and international rivalries, while the United Nations and its related agencies are also facing a severe economic crisis.

This comes as the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan continues, and human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the humanitarian and crisis-inducing consequences of these returns.