Sat Apr 19 17:35:59 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Faces International Condemnation for Mass Deportation of Afghan Refugees

**Kabul, Afghanistan – April 19, 2025** – Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghan refugees has sparked international concern and condemnation. Over 80,000 Afghans have been expelled since early April, with a deadline of April 30th looming for the forced removal of an estimated 800,000 more whose residency permits have been revoked.

The move has prompted a strong rebuke from Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who expressed “deep concern and disappointment” during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, in Kabul on Saturday. Muttaqi urged Pakistan to halt the deportations, citing reports of arbitrary arrests, extortion, and harassment of Afghan nationals. While Dar reportedly assured Muttaqi that Afghans would not be mistreated, the forced expulsions continue.

Pakistan’s Deputy Interior Minister, Tallal Chaudhry, defended the policy, stating that there would be no extension to the deadline and suggesting that undocumented Afghans pose security risks. However, analysts attribute the action to escalating security concerns and a politically motivated strategy to pressure the Taliban government in Kabul.

The UN refugee agency reports that over half of those deported are children, many entering a country where girls’ education is severely restricted and women face significant employment barriers. While Pakistan claims nearly 85,000 Afghans have already returned, Afghan officials report a lower figure of approximately 71,000 returnees through the main border crossings between April 1st and 18th.

The mass deportation is the second phase of a larger crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan, following a similar operation in 2023. Millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan over decades of conflict, but rising tensions, economic woes, and security concerns have fueled anti-refugee sentiment within Pakistan. Public support for the deportations is widespread. The deteriorating relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan, strained by increasing cross-border attacks, further complicates the situation. The international community is watching closely as the humanitarian crisis unfolds.

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