United Nations Calls for Halt to Deportation of Afghan Women and Vulnerable Asylum Seekers from Pakistan

Photo: Future Afghanistan

The United Nations has expressed concern over the Pakistani government’s decision to deport Afghan asylum seekers holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.

On Wednesday (August 6), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a statement urging Pakistani authorities to exempt Afghans in need of international protection, students, patients, and vulnerable individuals from forced deportation.

In its statement, the agency particularly expressed concern over the forced return of Afghan women and girls and emphasized that such actions place them at risk of violations of their fundamental rights.

UNHCR also welcomed the one-month deadline set by Pakistan for the implementation of this decision.

Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, also called Pakistan’s decision to carry out mass deportations of Afghan asylum seekers “alarming.” He warned that this process could lead to further instability and increased financial needs for responding to the returnees.

This comes as the Pakistani government has announced that Afghans holding temporary residence cards must leave the country by September 1. According to international organizations, this decision puts more than one million Afghan asylum seekers at risk of deportation.