Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Wednesday declared the forced deportation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan a violation of their human rights and urged international community and human rights organisations to take notice of it.

“Pakistani authorities are trampling on the human rights of Afghan refugees by hauling them like chattels in vehicles. Islamabad is unhappy over something else but taking revenge on Afghan refugees. This is a sentimental type of decision,” the JUI-F chief told a news conference in Peshawar, Dawn newspaper reported.

He said that Afghan professionals like doctors, engineers and others should have been adjusted here and should not be forced to leave the country.

The JUI-F chief said that expulsion of investors and businessmen who were doing business in Pakistan would also have economic consequences.

He wondered why Pakistan was made to suffer from such “blind decisions”.

“Pakistan’s interest should be kept in mind while making decisions,” he said.

Fazl said that students who were enrolled in Pakistan should also not be expelled and as forcing them out leaves them nowhere.

He said that education was one of the basic human rights and denying it was trampling on human rights.

Regarding the rest of the refugees, the JUI-F chief said that it was an issue between both countries and Pakistan had previously happily accepted Afghan nationals on its soil.

He said that hospitality was a part of Pashtun code.

“It’s imprudent to kick Afghans out of the country after hosting them for 45 years. Both countries should sit together and devise mechanisms for the repatriation of the Afghans,” he said.

Fazl said that unilateral expulsion of Afghan refugees not only violated human rights but also brought bad name to Pakistan.