Women’s Network Criticises International Silence Over Afghan Deportations
- Maryam Naiby
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Women’s Movement Network has condemned the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and criticised the silence and inaction of the international community, saying that women, journalists, civil society activists and other people at risk are paying the price for political tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban.
The network called on the Pakistani government to immediately halt the forced deportation of individuals who would face the risk of arrest, torture, enforced disappearance or death if returned to Afghanistan.
Members of the network held a protest in Pakistan and issued a statement saying that the mass deportation of refugees without assessing their individual circumstances is “inhumane” and contrary to the principle of non-refoulement.
The statement said that women protesters, human rights activists, journalists, members of civil society, artists, judges, former security personnel and individuals pursued by the Taliban because of their activities would face the risk of arrest, torture, enforced disappearance and even death if returned.
The Women’s Movement Network said political tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban should not result in Afghan refugees being used as tools of political pressure.
The network also called on the United Nations, the UN Refugee Agency, the Human Rights Council and governments that support human rights to provide safe and legal pathways for the transfer of people at risk.
The statement said: “While Afghan women are deprived of their most basic human rights under the shadow of a gender apartheid system, many international actors continue to engage with and normalise relations with the Taliban.”
The Women’s Movement Network also criticised the silence of some former officials of the republic, politicians and influential Afghan figures over the deportation of refugees and the repression of women, saying they cannot absolve themselves of moral responsibility for the current situation of the Afghan people.
The network called on the Pakistani government to provide protection exemptions for individuals facing serious risks and urged the international community to take practical action to protect refugees, end what it calls the Taliban’s “gender apartheid” and hold the group accountable.
The statement said: “The world must not abandon Afghan women once again. Every day of delay in taking action could mean more lives lost.”
The appeal comes as the arrest and deportation of Afghan citizens from Pakistan continues. According to the latest joint report by the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration, 1,406 Afghan citizens were arrested in Pakistan between 2 and 8 August alone. During the same period, 16,460 Afghans returned to Afghanistan, including 1,410 who were deported.
The large-scale return of Afghans is taking place as Afghanistan faces serious humanitarian and economic crises, while women and girls remain subject to widespread Taliban restrictions on education, work and participation in public life.
