UN human rights experts have called on Pakistan to suspend its planned deportation of Afghan refugees, set to commence on September 1, 2025. They warn that the policy violates international law and endangers returnees. The deportations, under Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” now also target Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades, with some born there.

The experts condemn the repatriation as a breach of the fundamental non-refoulement principle, enshrined in human rights treaties and customary international law. “Non-refoulement is not optional,” the experts declared.

Citing UNHCR’s 2023 Guidance Note on the International Protection Needs of People Fleeing Afghanistan, the experts warn against forced

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