Forced Repatriation: Thousands of Afghan Refugees Sent Back to Afghanistan by Pakistan, Contradicting Voluntary Claims

Thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan have been forcibly returned to their country since November 1, according to Taliban authorities. This contradicts Islamabad's claims that most of the Afghans have returned voluntarily. Pakistani border officials have reported that more than 200,000 people have crossed from Pakistan into Afghanistan, with the majority crossing since the October 3 ultimatum given to the 1.7 million Afghans believed to be living illegally in the country.

However, the situation appears to be far from voluntary. Naqibullah Momin from the department for refugees in southern Kandahar province told AFP that most of the returning refugees have been sent back by force. He added that these individuals have been subjected to beatings, had their belongings seized, and their money taken. The conditions of these refugees' return are said to be deplorable. In the past four days alone, over 21,600 people have crossed the border at Spin Boldak, many of whom were forcefully sent back.

It is important to note that the Taliban authorities do not distinguish between deportations and voluntary returns when registering individuals at the crossing. This raises concerns about the true extent of forced repatriations occurring. Pakistan has denied allegations of mistreatment, with Jan Achakzai, the information minister for Balochistan province, where the main southern border point is located, stating that no Afghan is subjected to humiliation in the province. Achakzai emphasizes that the large majority of Afghans have left voluntarily.

However, high-level Taliban officials have condemned Pakistan for its treatment of Afghan nationals, warning of consequences. While the Taliban authorities have been urging Afghans to return home since taking power, they also condemn Pakistan's actions, attributing them to tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The Taliban officials argue that Afghans are being punished and advocate for more time for people to leave voluntarily.

Pakistan has justified the deportations as necessary to protect its welfare and security after a rise in attacks, which the government attributes to militants operating from Afghanistan. However, Kabul denies these allegations. The situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border remains heated, with contradicting claims about the conditions of the return of Afghan refugees. The international community closely watches as this humanitarian crisis continues to unfold.