Pakistan has begun expelling documented Afghan refugees weeks before its 1 September deadline, the UN refugee agency says, warning that the early removals breach international law and could uproot more than one million people.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Wednesday it had received “credible reports” of arrests and deportations of legally registered Afghans since 1 August and urged Islamabad to “stop the forcible return and adopt a humane approach to ensure voluntary, gradual and dignified repatriation.”
UNHCR spokesman Qaisar Khan Afridi told Reuters that “hundreds” of refugees holding valid papers were detained and sent back to Afghanistan between 1 and 4 August, despite a government order stating that formal expulsions would begin only after next month’s deadline.
About 1.3 million Afghans hold Proof of Registration cards and a further 750,000 possess Afghan Citizen Cards, according to Pakistani officials. Many families have lived in Pakistan since the Soviet–Afghan war of the 1980s.
An interior-ministry directive seen by Reuters says “voluntary return” of documented refugees should start immediately, with mass deportations to follow if they remain after 1 September. The ministry did not respond to requests for comment on UNHCR’s allegations.
The removals are part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023. Islamabad blames Afghan nationals for militant attacks and crime; Kabul rejects the charge and brands the policy forced deportation. Aid agencies warn that sudden, large-scale returns could deepen instability in Afghanistan, which also faces new mass expulsions from neighbouring Iran.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s effor...
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian officia...
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorit...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, in the second deadly rail disaster in less than a year on a major route linking Madrid with the southern Andalusia region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
UN human rights experts comprising a group including Special Rapporteurs and independent experts who are part of the UN Human Rights Council, have criticised French authorities over their handling of nationwide student protests.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A powerful El Niño is driving extreme weather worldwide, leaving millions facing drought, wildfires and destructive storms as governments scramble to respond to the growing crisis.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment