KEYWORDS- Amnesty International, Afghan Migrants, mass forced detention.
Amnesty International called on Pakistan to immediately stop the ongoing detention, and harassment of Afghan migrants and refugees through a public statement.
Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns for South Asia said that thousands of Afghan refugees are being used as political pawns to be returned to Afghanistan which is currently under Taliban rule where their life and physical integrity could be at risk and no one should be subjected to mass forced deportations, and Pakistan should remember its international legal responsibilities and obligations, including the non-refoulement principle.
More than 170,000 Afghans, many of whom have been living in Pakistan for decades, have had to leave the country. As the deadline given by the government exceeded on 1st November the government started directly detaining refugees.
Pakistan is told to fulfill its obligations of human rights coming under international law to ensure the safety and well-being of Afghan refugees within its borders and immediately stop deportations to prevent further upsurge of the crisis.
It has been viewed that among the Afghan migrants, there are almost 200 Afghan journalists who are under the observation of the Taliban authorities who believe that they will be killed upon their return to Afghanistan. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also stated that apart from journalists, women and other civil actors are also at particular risk if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
If the government of Pakistan doesn’t halt the deportations now, then it will be denying thousands of at-risk Afghans, especially females, access to education, safety and livelihood.
REFERENCES-
- https://www.jurist.org/news/2023/11/amnesty-international-urges-pakistan-to-halt- mass-detention-and-deportations-of-afghan-refugees/#:~:text=Amnesty%20Internat ional%20urged%20the%20Pakistani,in%20Pakistan%20without%20proper%20d ocumentation.
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/11/pakistan-halt-mass-detentions-and- deportations-of-afghan-refugees/
WRITTEN BY- SNEHA MADAN, COLLEGE- LLOYD LAW , FIRST SEMESTER LEGAL JOURNALISM INTERN AT LEGAL VIDHIYA
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