UNHCR expresses concern over Pakistan’s plan to expel Afghan refugees from 16 villages
Kabul, Oct 9 – The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned Pakistan that plans to knock out 16 villages of Afghan refugees could trigger a humanitarian crisis. Reporters in Afghanistan say the Pakistani government has ordered residents in Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to leave immediately, a move the UN says is part of a 2023 campaign to pull out undocumented migrants.
UNHCR’s Pakistani rep, Philippa Candler, said Afghan families have lived in Pakistan for years, building homes, schools and communities. “These expulsions could cause immense suffering for vulnerable families and undermine efforts to reintegrate them safely in Afghanistan,” she told Afghan news outlets. Candler urged Pakistan to stop the deportations and to make any return a voluntary process carried out in phases, with full respect for human rights.
The agency is especially alarmed about Afghan women and girls. If sent back, they could face severe limits on education, work and freedom of movement under the Taliban regime. UNHCR also said it will let Afghans who need medical care, higher education, or who are in mixed marriages stay in Pakistan.
Human‑rights groups have slammed the policy, calling it a collective punishment and a breach of international refugee law. They warned that mass deportations will push the already‑struggling population into greater danger and poverty.
Earlier this year, UNHCR noted that more than 2.3 million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan—many under pressure and to a country that is not fully ready to receive them. The agency has pressed the global community to step up support for these returnees, urging countries to provide basic supplies and assistance.
“The world cannot turn its back on Afghans now,” UNHCR posted on X, emphasizing the urgent need for help. The agency’s call comes as Pakistan continues to push the 16‑village expulsion plan, raising fresh concerns among activists and international bodies.
Source: ianslive
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