Amnesty International on Wednesday criticized the recent arrests and harassment of Afghan migrants by Pakistani authorities, describing the actions as part of a “larger discriminatory policy” targeting Afghan nationals.
In a statement, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, expressed concern over Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees. “The police night raids, harassment, and arbitrary detention of hundreds of Afghan refugees, including women and children, in the capital city is part of a larger discriminatory policy against Afghans inside the country,” Pant said.
Pant highlighted the requirement for Afghan refugees in Islamabad to obtain a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) as an unnecessary and burdensome obligation on top of existing documentation requirements. The policy, he noted, has forced thousands of Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan in the past 15 months, further endangering a population already at risk.
“The Pakistani authorities’ actions are sweeping and discretionary in nature and have resulted in the harassment and detention of refugees, even when in possession of valid documents and visas,” Pant said. He emphasized that under international human rights law, all refugees and asylum seekers—regardless of their documentation status—are entitled to due process and protection against forced return, known as the principle of non-refoulement.
Amnesty International has called on Pakistan to fulfill its obligations under international law, urging authorities to release all detained Afghan refugees and rescind the NOC requirement immediately.
The statement comes as Afghan migrants in Pakistan report increasing harassment and arrests by security forces. Many have claimed they were detained for hours despite holding valid documentation.
According to the Taliban-run Afghan embassy in Islamabad, more than 1,000 Afghan migrants have been arrested by Pakistani police since Jan. 1, 2025, with 142 of them deported back to Afghanistan.
The crackdown has drawn widespread criticism, with human rights groups urging Pakistan to ensure the safety and dignity of Afghan refugees amid ongoing tensions and political instability in the region.
