Pakistan has initiated a nationwide crackdown on foreign nationals it claims are in the country illegally, leading to the arrest of Afghans as the country enforces its deportation policy. Thousands of Afghans who have lived in Pakistan for decades have returned to Afghanistan over the past two months, fearing the Taliban government and the enforcement of Pakistan’s deportation policy. Pakistan’s government asserts that the first wave of deportations will target those without any documentation, but many Afghans with valid documents report being targeted as well.
Human rights groups have criticized the deportation policy, expressing concerns about the safety of returnees, especially women and girls, in Afghanistan. The UNHCR is also worried about the fate of certain groups, such as minorities, journalists, and women, upon their return. Afghanistan’s economy is already in a fragile state, and thousands of deportees could worsen the situation, with many concerned about unemployment and the humanitarian crisis in the country.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67281691
