KABUL: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has expressed concern over the continued forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, calling on Islamabad to stop the process immediately.
In a statement, the organization said that more than five million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from neighboring countries since late 2023, describing the scale of returns as difficult to manage.
The IOM emphasized that arrests and forced returns of Afghan refugees should end, urging that repatriation must take place voluntarily, in line with international laws and in coordination with global humanitarian organizations.
It also warned against the use of Afghan migrants for political purposes.
This comes as the process of returns from Pakistan has accelerated, with hundreds of Afghan refugees crossing back into Afghanistan each day.