Afghan Refugees Face Taliban Harassment, Economic Hardship After Deportation, Says HRW

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that Afghan refugees deported from Pakistan are at risk of harassment by the Taliban and face severe economic hardships.

The organisation described Afghanistan’s human rights situation as dire and urged Pakistan to stop expelling Afghan refugees.

In a statement on Wednesday, 19 March, HRW said that deported refugees returning to Afghanistan are struggling with unemployment, a failing healthcare system, and declining international aid. The organisation also called on the Taliban to stop mistreating returning refugees.

HRW stressed that no government should forcibly return refugees to places where they could face persecution. It accused Pakistani authorities of using “abusive tactics” and increasing pressure to expel Afghan refugees.

Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director, called on Pakistani officials to “immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home” and allow those facing expulsion to seek protection. She urged Pakistan to grant refugees access to support and legal protection.

Pearson also urged the Taliban to avoid reprisals against returning Afghans and to reverse their restrictive policies against women and girls.

In late January, the Pakistani government announced that undocumented Afghan refugees must leave the country by the end of March. It also ordered refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to vacate Islamabad and Rawalpindi by the end of June. Pakistan warned that failure to comply would lead to forced deportation.

HRW reported that since Pakistan intensified its deportation campaign in November 2024, 70 percent of returnees have been women and children. The organisation noted that returning girls have been deprived of education, while women face growing restrictions under Taliban rule.