Pakistan ramps up deportations of Afghan refugees, rights group warns
Pakistani authorities have escalated raids, detentions and forced returns of Afghan refugees following renewed border clashes with Afghanistan, according to Human Rights Watch.
The group said police operations in several cities have included door-to-door searches, late-night raids and arrests without warrants. Afghans with valid visas have reportedly been detained alongside undocumented migrants, many of whom lack paperwork after Pakistan stopped renewing refugee registration documents in 2023.
More than 146,000 Afghans have been deported from Pakistan in 2026 alone, with numbers rising in April. Detainees are typically transferred to holding centres before being expelled.
Refugees interviewed by the group described arrests during everyday activities, confiscation of money and phones, and demands for bribes. Fear of detention has also prevented many from seeking medical care or sending children to school.
Human Rights Watch also reported cases of family separations and children being deported alone. Some returnees have ended up in overcrowded border camps in Afghanistan with limited access to food, shelter and healthcare.
The crackdown follows escalating violence along the disputed Durand Line frontier with Pakistan since late 2025. Rights groups say the forced returns may violate international law, including the prohibition on sending people back to countries where they risk persecution or harm.
