RASC News Agency: The intensification of Afghanistani refugee arrests in Pakistan has triggered widespread alarm among refugees and Afghanistani citizens alike. Many fear that the forced repatriation of these individuals, particularly former members of the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) who sought refuge in Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power, could put their lives in grave danger. The looming threat of Taliban detention is a dire possibility for deported refugees, especially those with ties to the previous Afghanistan government.
Some refugees lament that poverty and unemployment drove them to seek sanctuary in Pakistan, but now they face the harsh reality of expulsion. One refugee described the current wave of deportations as having escalated into a critical and far-reaching crisis. He revealed that in the past week alone, Pakistani police have detained hundreds of Afghanistani refugees during door-to-door raids in Islamabad and other major urban centers. Asadullah, another refugee, highlighted that a significant portion of those being targeted includes journalists, civil society activists, human rights defenders, women’s rights advocates, former local employees of international forces, and ex-government officials. These individuals fled to Pakistan to escape the Taliban’s oppressive regime, but they now face imminent deportation.
Reports from the refugee community indicate that prominent human rights activists, including Ezzatullah Bakhshi and Khan Mohammad Furmoli, were apprehended by Pakistani authorities and are at risk of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, where their safety cannot be assured. This intensified crackdown appears to coincide with escalating tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban regime. Afghanistani citizens have voiced deep concern over the deportations, warning that former military personnel, if repatriated, will likely fall into Taliban custody.
The Taliban have a documented history of targeting deported individuals from Iran and Pakistan, subjecting them to imprisonment, torture, and, in some cases, execution. Many remain detained in Taliban prisons under inhumane conditions. This alarming situation underscores the perilous plight of Afghanistani refugees and the severe humanitarian consequences of forced deportations amid an increasingly volatile political environment.
