Amnesty International Calls for Financial Support to Pakistan for Hosting Afghan Refugees

Amnesty International on Tuesday once again called on Pakistan to immediately reverse the decision to deport Afghan refugees.

This human rights organisation also asked the countries of the world to support Pakistan financially for hosting Afghans refugees and those fleeing the persecution of the Taliban.

In a statement, the organisation urged the government of Pakistan to fulfil its international legal obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement and stop the crackdown against, and harassment of, Afghan refugees across the country.

Amnesty International said that more than 1.4 million Afghan refugees are at risk of deportation.

According to United Nations statistics, 600,000 of these refugees left Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover of power in 2021.

In another statement on Tuesday, Amnesty International said that as Afghan immigrants are deported, “families are rendered homeless, denied access to livelihood and basic services and separated in the lead up to the harsh winter months”.

Amnesty International added that that the deportation of Afghan refugees exposes women and girls to harassment and other serious human rights violations.

It also said that for the vast majority of women and girls who have fled Afghanistan, living and studying in Pakistan may be their only chance of accessing formal education.

This organisation has warned that Afghan refugees, including journalists, human rights defenders, women protestors, artists, former government officials and security personnel, will also be at risk of harassment and repression by the Taliban if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.