UN agencies appeal to Pakistan to continue protecting vulnerable Afghans

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have appealed to Pakistan to continue its protection of all vulnerable Afghans "who have sought safety in the country and could be at imminent risk if forced to return".

The statement comes after Pakistan gave all illegal immigrants, which includes some 1.73 million Afghans, a deadline to leave by November 1 or face forcible expulsion.

Return of illegal migrants: Afghanistan vows full cooperation

In a joint statement on Saturday, the agencies said that Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several human rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, and such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return.

"UNHCR and IOM acknowledge the Government's sovereign prerogative over domestic policies, its need to manage populations on its territory, and its obligations to ensure public safety and security," the statement said.

Both UN agencies stated they had a “longstanding and strong collaboration” with Pakistan and stood ready to “provide support in developing a comprehensive and sustainable mechanism to register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection”.

UNHCR and IOM appreciated Pakistan’s generous hospitality towards Afghan nationals for over four decades, despite challenges, and repeated the call for all returns to be voluntary, safe and dignified without any pressure, to ensure protection for those seeking safety.

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"The forced repatriation of Afghan nationals has the potential to result in severe human rights violations, including the separation of families and deportation of minors.

UNHCR and IOM continue to call on all countries to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner."

Caretaker FM Jilani defends decision to expel illegal immigrants

On Friday, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani defended Pakistan's call for illegal immigrants to leave, saying the decision is in line with international practice.

“No country allows illegal people to live in their country, whether it is Europe, whether it is countries in Asia, in our neighbourhood,” Jilani told Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV in an interview on the sidelines of a forum in Tibet.

“So, accordingly, this is in line with the international practice that we have taken this decision.”

“Whenever there was any problem, people would immigrate to Pakistan, take refuge in Pakistan,” Jilani said.

“But now I think it has been more than 40 years, so the government of Pakistan has taken a decision,” Jilani said, noting the situation in Afghanistan had stabilized.

In a presser, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti said Afghan nationals were found involved in recent terrorist attacks in the country including one in Peshawar mosque, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, and Hangu.