ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Saturday expressed dismay over the government’s decision to expel Afghan nationals from Pakistan due to security reasons, calling the step “blatantly xenophobic” while urging the authorities to expedite the registration process of these refugees to protect their rights instead.

Pakistan has become increasingly anxious about the presence of Afghans while grappling with an ongoing economic crisis and a sharp rise in militant attacks in the country.

One of its top ministers said on Tuesday Afghan nationals were involved in 14 out of 24 suicide bombings since the beginning of the year before the government warned all “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghans, to leave the country by November 1 or face forcible expulsion.

The Taliban government in Kabul has objected to Pakistan’s decision, calling it “unacceptable” while pointing out that Afghans were not to blame for Pakistan’s security problems.

“HRCP is appalled by reports from Islamabad that residents of Afghan origin are being evicted summarily from their homes and that settlements of Afghan refugees are being razed by the state,” the rights commission said in a social media post. “This is blatantly xenophobic and must cease.”

It added the forcible deportation of Afghan nationals was not practical option since it was likely to put many of them at risk in their country and separate families.

“Repatriation must only ever be voluntary and ensure that the rights of the most vulnerable are protected, including their right to shelter, health care and legal counsel,” it added. “Pakistan would be better served if it were to expedite the registration of refugees and legislate to protect their rights as residents.”

Pakistani officials say hundreds of thousands of Afghans traveled to Pakistan since foreign forces left Afghanistan and the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021.

Even before then, Pakistan hosted some 1.5 million registered refugees, one of the largest such populations in the world, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

More than a million others are estimated to live in Pakistan unregistered.

Pakistan’s foreign office said on Friday the deportation of illegal immigrants would be done in phases and not all of them would be expelled in one go.

The country’s foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani also defended the deportation order, saying no other country allowed illegal immigrants to stay and live.