ISLAMABAD: A leading international rights organization urged Pakistan on Wednesday not to “coerce” Afghan refugees into returning to their country, saying many risked persecution and would face dire economic conditions.
The appeal came as the government directed all Afghans without residence documents, along with Afghan Citizen Card holders, to leave by the March 31 deadline.
The interior ministry’s announcement earlier this month formed part of a broader repatriation drive targeting foreign nationals that began in 2023, with more than 800,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since. The campaign against “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghans, was launched following a surge in militant violence from armed groups the government said had found sanctuary in neighboring Afghanistan.
Officials in Islamabad have maintained that many Afghan nationals in Pakistan were involved in attacks on civilians and security forces while blaming the interim Taliban administration for “facilitating” cross-border attacks. Afghan authorities in Kabul, however, have denied the allegations.
“Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said as the rights organization released a report on the situation of those repatriated so far.
“The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan should prevent any reprisals against returning Afghans and reverse their abusive policies against women and girls,” she added.
HRW accused Pakistani police of raiding the houses of Afghan refugees, beating and arbitrarily detaining people, and confiscating their refugee documents, including residence permits.
Based on its interviews with Afghans who recently returned to their country, it said Pakistani authorities had demanded bribes to allow them to stay in Pakistan, adding that most Afghan nationals chose to return due to fear of detention in Pakistani cities.
Officials in Islamabad have dismissed such allegations in the past, saying they have carried out the repatriation process in a humane way.
The international rights organization also warned that the situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, with women and girls banned from post-primary education, while rights defenders, journalists, and former government personnel remain at particular risk.
“All of those returning struggle to survive amid Afghanistan’s soaring unemployment, broken health care system, and dwindling foreign assistance,” it added.
International rights group asks Pakistan to stop ‘coercing’ Afghan refugees into return
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International rights group asks Pakistan to stop ‘coercing’ Afghan refugees into return
- Human Rights Watch urges authorities in Kabul to prevent reprisals against returning Afghan nationals
- It says Afghans returning to their country have been dealing with unemployment, broken health care system
Pakistan Navy tests missile, loitering munitions and unmanned vessel at Arabian Sea
- The exercise reflects growing focus on air defense and autonomous systems in modern warfare
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s navy conducted live firing of a surface-to-air missile, tested loitering munitions and carried out open-sea trials of an unmanned surface vessel during a major exercise in the North Arabian Sea on Saturday, highlighting a growing focus on air defense and unmanned warfare amid evolving regional security dynamics.
The exercise, which demonstrated both conventional and autonomous capabilities, comes at a time when Pakistan is increasingly emphasizing advanced technology and multi-domain operations following last year’s four-day conflict with nuclear-armed India, which reinforced the importance of air defense, surveillance and precision strike systems.
“Pakistan Navy demonstrated its operational readiness and combat preparedness through a comprehensive exercise in the North Arabian Sea, showcasing both conventional and unmanned capabilities, as per dictates of evolving naval warfare,” the Navy’s Directorate General Public Relations said in a statement.
“The exercise included the successful live firing of LY-80(N) Surface to Air Missile (SAM) from Vertical Launching System at extended range, validating the long-range capabilities of Pakistan Navy’s modern air defense systems,” it added. “LY-80(N) SAM successfully engaged and neutralized an aerial target, demonstrating Pakistan Navy’s robust air defense capabilities.”
The statement said the exercise also featured the successful engagement of surface targets using a loitering munition, which it said demonstrated the navy’s precision strike capability.
“Successful open-sea trials of Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) were also conducted, marking a significant leap in autonomous naval technology,” it continued. “The trials validated the platform’s ability to combine high-speed performance with mission-critical durability.”
Pakistan’s armed forces routinely hold large-scale exercises to enhance operational readiness, but recent drills have placed greater emphasis on emerging technologies, reflecting lessons drawn from modern conflicts.
Key capabilities demonstrated during the exercise included extreme maneuverability, precision navigation and weather resilience.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf commended officers and men of the Pakistan Navy for their professionalism and operational competence, reiterating the navy’s resolve to ensure the seaward defense of the country and safeguard its maritime interests.
