RASC News Agency: Afghanistani migrants in Islamabad have reported that Pakistani police conducted raids on their homes, resulting in the arrest of women and children. These actions have provoked widespread criticism from human rights organizations and activists. Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, thousands of Afghanistani citizens fled to Pakistan to escape persecution, poverty, and unemployment. However, the Pakistani government has increasingly responded with mass arrests and deportations. Over the past two years, thousands of Afghanistanis have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan, often after enduring harsh treatment, including physical abuse and detention.
On Saturday, Afghanistani migrants in Islamabad revealed that police raided their residences, arresting several individuals, including women and children. These incidents have ignited public outrage, with human rights advocates condemning what they describe as an intensifying crackdown on Afghanistani refugees. Observers report that the Pakistani government has significantly escalated its campaign of detaining and deporting Afghanistani nationals, with hundreds reportedly apprehended daily. Many of these migrants are former members of Afghanistan’s previous government and security forces, raising fears that their deportation could lead to persecution, imprisonment, or even execution by the Taliban.
Both Afghanistani migrants and human rights activists have criticized international bodies, particularly the United Nations and foreign embassies based in Pakistan, for failing to intervene and prevent what they describe as “gross violations of human rights” by Pakistani authorities. One Afghanistani migrant expressed frustration, stating: “We did not come to Islamabad for leisure or luxury. We came here seeking safety and survival.” Another migrant, Sara, questioned the global community’s silence on the issue: “Around the world, women and children are given special protection and care. Why, then, are Afghanistanis subjected to such cruel and inhumane treatment?”
Recent reports indicate that Pakistani authorities have extended their crackdown to include women and children among those detained. This latest development is part of Pakistan’s broader policy, which has seen hundreds of Afghanistani refugees detained and forcibly deported, sparking criticism for violating international human rights standards and leaving vulnerable populations at severe risk.
