Afghanistan Refugees: UNHCR concerned at adverse effects of Pakistan orders for undocumented foreigners to leave

Since Pakistan’s announcement of the plan on 3 October 2023, an estimated 374,000 people have returned to Afghanistan – mostly in fear and haste. We are witnessing an exponential increase in arrests, detentions and deportations of Afghans in Pakistan.

Mass arrivals back to Afghanistan are adding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis as winter temperatures start to dip – in some locations the minimum already reaching -4°C . Many Afghan returnees are vulnerable, including women and children who could lose their lives in a harsh winter if left without adequate shelter.

UNHCR has visited different locations in Pakistan in the past two weeks, meeting Afghans on the move and local authorities. Afghans interviewed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province – known as KP – in the northwest, and Balochistan province in the southwest of the country, including registered refugees, said they were leaving in a rush, fearing arrest and detention. All registered Afghan refugees are exempt from the Government’s orders, but the announcement and follow-up actions, including reports of intimidation by local authorities and evictions by landlords, have created a sense of panic.  

The ongoing pressure to return has caused severe distress within the communities despite the assurances received from the Government of Pakistan.

We have been reiterating our call that any return to Afghanistan should be voluntary, safe and dignified, irrespective of legal status in Pakistan. We have urged the Government of Pakistan to put in place a screening mechanism to identify individuals in need of international protection. UNHCR is offering support to Pakistan to put in place a system that addresses the legitimate concerns of the Government of Pakistan as well as Afghans seeking safety on its territory.

UNHCR welcomes statements from Pakistani authorities at different levels to initiate legal actions against those who have been involved in extortion and mistreatment of Afghans who are on the move as a result of the Government’s order.

We are also seeking further discussions to help address the challenges faced by Pakistan while upholding the rights of all Afghans on its territory.

Those arriving now at border points inside Afghanistan are exhausted and in need of emergency assistance. Many have complained of harassment, extortion and mistreatment. Desperate women and children are among those who were not given a choice but to pack and leave.   

In Afghanistan, UNHCR staff and humanitarian partners are scrambling to monitor and provide assistance to the large-scale influx of returning Afghans arriving at two official border crossings with Pakistan – Torkham, in Nangarhar province, and Spin Boldak, in Kandahar province. It is a daunting task on top of the ongoing humanitarian crises in Afghanistan affecting over two thirds of the population.