The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has appealed to the Pakistani government to suspend the deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees during the harsh winter season. This request comes as Pakistani police intensify their search for and expulsion of Afghani individuals who have not already left the country. In an interview with Reuters TV, UNHCR regional spokesman Babar Baloch emphasized the urgency of the situation, explaining that the freezing cold in Afghanistan poses a severe threat to the lives of those being forced to return.

"We're talking about desperate women, children, and men leaving Pakistan in droves," said Baloch. He stressed the need for the Afghan refugees' return to be voluntary and urged Pakistan to identify vulnerable individuals who require international protection. Since October 1st, over 370,000 Afghans have fled Pakistan due to the deportation measures imposed by Islamabad.

The Pakistani government announced last month that it would expel more than a million undocumented refugees, mostly of Afghan origin, following allegations from Kabul that Pakistan harbors anti-Pakistan militants. However, the UNHCR has called upon Pakistan to reconsider these mass returns, particularly during the harsh winter season. Pakistan is currently home to approximately 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, with an estimated 1.7 million lacking proper documentation.

Many of these individuals arrived in Pakistan following the Taliban's recapture of Afghanistan in 2021, while others have been present since the Soviet invasion in 1979. Pakistani authorities have been conducting door-to-door searches in refugee settlements, starting with the port city of Karachi, where hundreds of thousands of Afghans reside. Those who do not leave voluntarily may face forced expulsion. Consequently, thousands of Afghans have gone underground in Pakistan to evade deportation, fearing for their lives if they are returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

The rapid and chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led Western forces from the country in 2021 has exacerbated these concerns. Despite calls from international organizations and refugee agencies, Islamabad has shown little willingness to reconsider its deportation plans. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acknowledged a petition filed by rights activists seeking to halt the deportations, although a hearing date has not yet been set. Considering the dire circumstances faced by undocumented Afghan refugees and the escalating situation with the approaching winter, the UNHCR's appeal to Pakistan to suspend the deportations illustrates the urgent need for action to protect the lives and well-being of these vulnerable individuals.