Islamabad [Pakistan]: Amnesty International has called on Pakistan to revoke its controversial “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan”, which primarily targets Afghan refugees, following a sharp decline in deportations and voluntary returns due to border closures, Dawn reported on Thursday.
The human rights watchdog criticized Pakistan’s March 31 deadline, arguing that forcibly expelling Afghan refugees—many of whom are asylum seekers—would exacerbate their suffering and violate international human rights laws.
“The Pakistani government’s unyielding and cruel deadline to remove Afghan refugees and asylum seekers from two major cities, resulting in the deportation of many at risk, shows little respect for international human rights law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement,” Amnesty stated, as quoted by Dawn.
Amnesty: Afghan Refugees Unfairly Portrayed
While details of the repatriation plan remain undisclosed, Amnesty International argues that the Pakistani government is scapegoating Afghan nationals by unfairly portraying them as criminals and terrorists.
Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, condemned the move, saying:
“The Government of Pakistan is making a scapegoat of a community that has long been disenfranchised and fleeing persecution.”
Prominent human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar emphasized the devastating impact of the policy, noting that many Afghan families have lived in Pakistan for decades.
“Asking them to relocate means you’re asking them to leave homes, businesses, communities, and lives they’ve built for years,” Kakar told Amnesty, as quoted by Dawn.
Legal Challenges to the Deportation Plan
Under the plan, undocumented Afghan refugees and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders face immediate deportation. Even those awaiting resettlement in third countries risk being moved far from foreign missions, which could jeopardize their relocation process.
Lawyer Umer Gillani, who has challenged the deportation orders in Pakistan’s Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court, argued that the March 31 deadline is not legally enforceable.
“The official notification has not been issued under any particular law; it is just an executive instruction,” he stated, as quoted by Dawn.
Decline in Afghan Returns and Deportations
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported a significant drop in Afghan refugee returns and deportations in March.
Between March 1 and 15, Afghan returns fell by 67%, while deportations declined by 50% compared to February 16-28.
As the March 31 deadline approaches, international pressure is mounting on Pakistan to halt deportations and respect human rights obligations.