Increased Pressure on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Confiscated Property, Withheld Deposits

Increased Pressure on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Confiscated Property, Withheld Deposits

Reported by Fahim sajjadi

Amid a growing wave of forced deportations of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, alarming reports are now emerging from Pakistan regarding the treatment of Afghan nationals. These accounts suggest that, similar to Iran, the Pakistani government has intensified the expulsion of undocumented Afghan migrants without due process or humane consideration.

According to field reports and eyewitness accounts, many Afghan refugees—some of whom have lived in Pakistan for years—have been arrested and deported without prior notice or the opportunity to collect their personal belongings. In numerous cases, their possessions remained at their residences and have since become inaccessible due to the abrupt nature of the expulsions.

Equally troubling are reports that rental deposits paid by refugees to landlords are not being returned. For many families, this deposit represented their life savings, and the financial losses have been devastating.

Perhaps most concerning, however, are claims that Pakistani police have confiscated personal items—especially mobile phones—during the deportation process. Several witnesses stated that officers took migrants’ phones under the pretense of inspection and never returned them. This not only severed communication between deportees and their families but also raised fears over the potential misuse of personal data stored on the devices.

Human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups have repeatedly urged the Pakistani government to respect international humanitarian standards and ensure that any repatriation processes are conducted with dignity and in accordance with the law. However, the current situation reflects a concerning disregard for these principles.

AfgNews24 calls on the international community, global humanitarian organizations, and particularly the United Nations to urgently intervene, investigate the ongoing abuses, and halt the inhumane and unregulated deportation of Afghan refugees—many of whom face immense danger and hardship upon return.