UN Special Rapporteur Calls on Migrant-Hosting Countries to Facilitate Resettlement for Afghan Refugees
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has urged migrant-hosting countries to create more opportunities for the resettlement of Afghan refugees, as Pakistan’s deadline for the expulsion of Afghan migrants approaches.
Kokcha News Agency – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called on migrant-hosting countries to increase resettlement opportunities for Afghan refugees following the expiration of Pakistan’s deadline for Afghan migrants to leave the country.
In a statement, Bennett urged supporting countries to enhance their assistance to Pakistan and other host nations for Afghan refugees. This appeal comes as the Pakistani government had previously announced that Afghan migrants must leave the country by September 1. Pakistan is determined to begin the process of expelling approximately 1.4 million Afghan refugees starting Monday.
UN experts have previously warned of the harmful consequences of expelling Afghan refugees from Pakistan and called on Islamabad to adhere to its international obligations. They expressed concern over the widespread human rights violations and the deprivation of women’s education in Afghanistan, making the return of refugees deeply troubling.
Reports indicate that Pakistani security forces have intensified the detention and expulsion of Afghan migrants as the deadline for their departure approaches.
UN experts have called on the Pakistani government to immediately halt the expulsion process and respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of refugees to a country where they may face persecution.
