Amnesty International urges Pakistan to halt arrests and deportation of Afghan refugees

Amnesty International has called on Pakistan to stop harassing Afghan refugees and immediately revoke the policy requiring a “No Objection Certificate (NOC)” for Afghan migrants in Islamabad.

Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, described the arrests and harassment of Afghan refugees, including women and children, as part of a “broader discriminatory policy” against Afghans in Pakistan.

He noted that Pakistan’s arbitrary policies have repeatedly increased insecurity for Afghan refugees, forcing thousands to return to Afghanistan over the past 15 months, further endangering vulnerable populations.

According to Amnesty, more than 800 Afghan refugees have been detained in Islamabad since January 1, 2025, based on data from the Joint Action Committee for Refugees.

The organization has urged Pakistani authorities to honor their international human rights obligations, halt the deportation of Afghan refugees, and protect them from arbitrary detention and harassment.