ISLAMABAD: The United Nations human rights experts have urged Pakistan not to expel or deport Afghans while citing reports that the deadline for their voluntary departure of Afghans may be extended until April 10.

The government has not extended the deadline yet.

In a statement issued in Geneva, eleven independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council called on the Pakistani government to continue its important role as a neighbouring country with a long history of hosting Afghans fleeing their country.

“Given the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, durable solutions are needed for Afghans outside the country, with strong support from the broader international community,” experts said.

“Millions of Afghans in Pakistan are at risk of being pushed back to Afghanistan without regard for their genuine protection concerns, including gender-based violence and the systemic dismantling of the rights of women and girls in violation of international human rights law and refugee law, and disregarding UNHCR’s non-return advisory,” the experts said.

Say human rights situation deteriorating in Afghanistan and women, transgenders, ethnic minorities are at bigger risk

The experts urged Pakistan to “immediately stop mass internal relocations, deportations, arrests, evictions, intimidation and other pressures on Afghans to cross the border into Afghanistan, and to uphold the absolute and non-derogable principle of non-refoulement”.

They expressed particular concern about the gendered and intersectional impact.

The UN experts have repeatedly spoken out against Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan of September 2023, which has already pressured hundreds of thousands of Afghans to uproot their lives and return to Afghanistan.

Ahead of the 31 March deadline, the UN said it had documented a worrying increase in arrests of Afghans.

Many desperate Afghans have contacted the experts, fearing persecution by the Taliban in Afghanistan if they are forced to return.

“The most vulnerable are Afghan women, girls, LGBTI persons, ethnic and religious minorities, former government officials and security personnel, human rights defenders, and media workers,” the experts said.

“Children, especially unaccompanied, are at heightened risk of trafficking, child marriage and abuse, while persons with disabilities and older persons are also particularly vulnerable. They should all be individually assessed.”

The experts expressed concern about the return of Afghans to Afghanistan from other countries, potentially contravening international human rights and refugee law.

Security risks

The experts also acknowledged security risks, including terrorist attacks in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan.

The experts noted that many Afghans who had left for Pakistan, having been given reasonable expectations of being resettled in a third country, had their dreams of a secure future shattered by the sudden halt of resettlement programmes.

They stressed that funding cuts will reduce the ability of the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, together with humanitarian agencies, to support a large influx of people from neighboring countries.

“Abrupt and drastic funding cuts by donors are already having a severe impact on much-needed humanitarian assistance to Afghans,” the experts said.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2025