The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called on Islamabad to “immediately withdraw” its decision to expel undocumented refugees from Afghanistan by 1 November.
In a meeting on Wednesday in Islamabad, the organization said “forced repatriation” is recognized under international law and Pakistan’s decision will “invariably affect poor and vulnerable Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and Afghans at risk because of their professions.”
HRCP Chairperson Hina Jilani said that “a one-size-fits-all solution” cannot be applied to all refugees and asylum seekers without considering their specific needs.
“Even in the deliberate absence of a policy on refugees, Pakistan was still bound by international customary law,” she said, adding that any such policy must put humanitarian concerns ahead of security concerns.
Meanwhile, former Pakistani senator Farhatullah Babar also emphasized that the absence of domestic laws on refugees was no excuse for Pakistan’s government to fail to protect the rights of refugees.
HRCP member Sadia Bokhari informed participants at the meeting that Pakistani authorities had demolished several settlements in Islamabad where refugees from Afghanistan lived.
According to her, the majority of refugees who hold Proof of Registration Card (POR) cards have also been subjected to harassment, intimidation, and extortion by the police following the government’s announcement.
Pakistan’s government has set a November 1 deadline for all undocumented foreigners, including 1.7 refugees from Afghanistan, to voluntarily leave the country.
Pakistan’s acting foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said last Sunday Islamabad was committed to enforcing the decision.
Jilani emphasized that individuals with valid legal documents could continue living in Pakistan. He said: “This decision applies to all individuals residing illegally in Pakistan. Anyone with legal residency or registration cards, regardless of their country of origin, will be permitted to stay in Pakistan.”
