Connect with us

Latest News

UNHCR voices concern over Pakistan’s decision to de-notify 16 Afghan refugee villages

UNHCR also raised alarm over the impact on women and girls, noting that they risk being sent back to a country where their rights to work and education remain severely restricted.

Published

on

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has expressed deep concern over the Pakistani government’s decision to de-notify 16 Afghan refugee villages across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab, warning that the move could lead to forced returns of Afghans, including registered refugees, to Afghanistan.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the UNHCR said that many Afghan refugees have lived in these villages for decades and have established livelihoods and communities. Forcing them to leave within a short period, it warned, could have “serious and negative impacts” on their lives, livelihoods, and reintegration prospects in Afghanistan.

“The return of refugees should be organised, phased, voluntary, and carried out in dignity and safety, with respect for rights and protection of those in need,” said Philippa Candler, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan.

The decision follows the government’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), under which Afghan nationals residing without valid documentation have been asked to leave the country. The policy has prompted growing international concern, especially regarding vulnerable groups.

UNHCR also raised alarm over the impact on women and girls, noting that they risk being sent back to a country where their rights to work and education remain severely restricted.

“Pakistan has been a generous host to Afghans for more than 45 years,” Candler said. “There are still many people in Pakistan who would be at risk of persecution should they be obliged to return to Afghanistan. These individuals need to be exempted from the IFRP.”

The UN agency urged Islamabad to allow legal stay for Afghans with medical needs, those pursuing higher education, and individuals in mixed marriages, while ensuring that any returns are voluntary and humane.

UNHCR reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with the Pakistani government to identify “practical solutions that respect Pakistan’s concerns while upholding international principles.”

Meanwhile, a situation report by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that between mid and late September, 73,560 Afghans returned to Afghanistan through the five main border crossings with Iran and Pakistan — a 35 percent decrease compared to the previous two weeks.

According to WHO, 61 percent (44,878) of the returnees came from Iran, while 39 percent (28,682) crossed from Pakistan. The Islam Qala border point remained the busiest, accounting for 43 percent (31,907) of all arrivals, while Bahramcha recorded the lowest numbers at just 2.3 percent (1,763).

The report said the decline in returns may reflect changing migration dynamics or temporary factors affecting cross-border movement, which will continue to be monitored in the coming weeks.

Latest News

India sends over 63,000 vaccine doses to boost Afghanistan’s public health system

New Delhi has reiterated that it remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through sustained humanitarian and medical assistance.

Published

on

India has reinforced its support for Afghanistan’s public health sector with the delivery of a new batch of essential vaccines to Kabul.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi has supplied 63,734 doses of influenza and meningitis vaccines to Afghan health authorities as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance program.

Afghan health officials noted that the vaccines will be integrated into national preventive healthcare efforts and will help curb seasonal illnesses while reducing the risk of meningitis outbreaks, especially during periods of heightened vulnerability.

They said the shipment arrives at a time when Afghanistan’s medical resources remain under significant strain.

India has served as a key health partner to Afghanistan in recent years, providing medical supplies, essential medicines, and several rounds of vaccines to help strengthen the country’s healthcare infrastructure.

New Delhi has reiterated that it remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through sustained humanitarian and medical assistance.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Deputy interior minister for counter-narcotics travels to Uzbekistan

Published

on

Abdul Rahman Munir, the Deputy Minister for Counter-Narcotics at the Ministry of Interior, traveled to Uzbekistan this afternoon along with his accompanying delegation.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, the purpose of the trip is to participate in a meeting of member countries of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Drugs (CARICC).

The statement added that the meeting will be held on December 5 of this year in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Imran Khan accuses Army Chief of ‘igniting’ Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions

In his post, written in Urdu, Khan said: “Asim Munir’s policies are disastrous for Pakistan. Because of his policies, terrorism has spiralled out of control, which grieves me deeply.”

Published

on

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has accused Army Chief Asim Munir of deliberately “igniting tensions” with Afghanistan, calling his policies “disastrous” for Pakistan.

The 73-year-old former cricketer, who has been imprisoned since 2023, issued the remarks through his official account on the social media platform X. His statement was shared a day after his sister, Uzma Khan, met him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail following “special permission” granted by the government led by Shehbaz Sharif.

In his post, written in Urdu, Khan said: “Asim Munir’s policies are disastrous for Pakistan. Because of his policies, terrorism has spiralled out of control, which grieves me deeply.”

He further alleged that the army chief’s actions were motivated by a desire to please Western governments, saying Munir had “deliberately ignited tensions with Afghanistan so he could be seen internationally as a so-called ‘mujahid’.”

The founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf added that he had long opposed “drone attacks and military operations against our own people,” arguing such tactics would only worsen militancy. Khan claimed Munir first “threatened Afghans,” then oversaw the expulsion of refugees and the launching of drone strikes, the consequences of which he said were now visible in rising violence.

Khan also launched a personal attack on the army chief, calling him “mentally unstable” and accusing him of presiding over the “collapse of the Constitution and rule of law in Pakistan.”

He alleged that, on Munir’s orders, he and his wife had been imprisoned on fabricated charges and subjected to “the worst form of psychological torture.”

Khan said he had been held in solitary confinement for four weeks, with no human contact and without basic entitlements provided under the jail manual. He added that despite court directions, access to political colleagues, lawyers and family members had been blocked.

Referring to an incident involving another sister, Noreen Niazi, he said she was “dragged on the road” while trying to meet him.

Khan praised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for choosing “resistance over compromise” and urged him to “continue to play on the front foot.” He added that those threatening to impose governor’s rule in the province should “do it today rather than tomorrow and then watch what happens.”

An undeclared ban on meetings with Khan had fuelled speculation about his health. After visiting him, Uzma Khan said he was “perfectly fine” physically but was being subjected to “mental torture” in solitary confinement.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!