Pakistan Initiates Controversial Afghan Deportations Amid UN Concerns

Pakistan has intensified efforts to deport documented Afghan refugees, even before its set deadline, sparking alarm from the United Nations, which warns this move could result in the expulsion of over 1 million Afghans.

According to the UNHCR, these expulsions contravene Pakistan's international duties, as legally registered Afghans have faced arrests and deportations. The UN urges Pakistan to adopt a humanitarian approach for voluntary and gradual repatriation.

The deportations have already begun, despite having been settled in Pakistan since the 1980s. Pakistan attributes local crime to Afghan nationals and aims to deport all without valid visas. Concurrent deportation threats loom from Iran, raising instability concerns in Afghanistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)