The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on the government of Pakistan to identify vulnerable asylum seekers from Afghanistan and prevent their deportation.
Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, in a statement from Geneva on Friday, September 12, urged Pakistan not to expel those in need of international protection.
The agency stressed that it is ready to cooperate with Pakistan in identifying vulnerable individuals.
Jamal added: “Without additional funding, we will not be able to continue providing life-saving assistance to Afghan families who are facing multiple crises simultaneously. We have updated our regional appeal in response to recent developments and are seeking 258.6 million dollars.”
In recent weeks, the pace of returns has intensified, and in just the first week of September alone, nearly 100,000 migrants returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
According to international agencies, this has placed immense pressure on existing capacities.
Meanwhile, in response to the Taliban’s ban on women entering UN offices in Kabul, the UNHCR has suspended its cash assistance to returnees.
Speaking at a video press conference from Kabul to reporters in Geneva, Jamal said: “This was an operational decision, not meant to punish anyone or send a particular message, but simply because in certain circumstances, it is not possible to operate without female staff.”
Since the beginning of this year, 2.6 million Afghan migrants have been deported from neighboring countries.
