Human Rights Watch has stated that the government of Pakistan has significantly escalated raids, arbitrary arrests, and forced deportations of Afghan refugees following the recent rise in clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In its latest report, the organization said that police operations have deprived thousands of Afghan refugees — particularly women and children — of access to healthcare, education, and other essential services.
Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: “Pakistani authorities are spreading fear among Afghan refugees instead of protecting them.”
The report further states that since February 2026, when tensions and clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan intensified, Pakistani police have carried out raids on Afghan communities in several cities, conducted door-to-door searches, and detained numerous Afghans lacking legal documentation. According to the report, even Afghans holding valid visas have been arrested.
According to the report, detained Afghans are first transferred to detention centers and later deported back to Afghanistan. More than 146,000 Afghans have reportedly been expelled from Pakistan so far in 2026 alone.
Human Rights Watch also said that police have arrested Afghan refugees while they were shopping, attending school, or seeking work. Officers allegedly confiscated their mobile phones and money and demanded bribes in exchange for their release.
The report warns that many of those forcibly returned to Afghanistan face serious risks. These include journalists, human rights defenders, civil society activists, and individuals associated with the former Afghan government or perceived as critics of the Taliban.
According to the report, at least nine Afghan journalists — some of whom possessed valid visas — have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan since the beginning of 2026.
An Afghan woman who was forcibly deported said: “We begged the police not to send us back, but they did not listen. Only those who could pay money were released.”
The report also notes that many Afghan refugees are unable to seek medical treatment due to fear of arrest. An Afghan woman in Islamabad said: “My daughter is sick, but I cannot take her to the hospital because I fear being arrested by the police.”
Human Rights Watch added that many families have been separated in recent months, and in some cases children have been sent back to Afghanistan alone.
The organization stressed that the forced return of Afghan refugees may violate the United Nations Convention Against Torture and international law, as these individuals are being returned to places where they may face persecution, torture, or other serious threats.
Fereshta Abbasi called on Pakistan to end abusive police practices and immediately halt the forced deportation of Afghan refugees.
