Rahil Talash, a member of the leadership board of the Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement, met with Bushra Gohar and Jamila Gilani, two prominent Pakistani human rights activists, to discuss the critical situation of Afghan human rights activists, journalists, and artists living in Pakistan. The meeting addressed the challenges and threats posed by Pakistan’s forced deportation policy, which has placed Afghan refugees, particularly activists, at serious risk.
According to official reports, the Pakistani government has reiterated that the March 31 deadline for the deportation of Afghan migrants will not be extended. This decision was made in a high-level meeting held at Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior on March 27, where officials confirmed that the policy would be strictly enforced. Islamabad has also rejected the Taliban’s request to extend the stay of Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
During the meeting, Rahil Talash highlighted the growing challenges faced by Afghan activists in Pakistan, emphasizing that lack of legal protection, difficulty accessing residency documents, economic hardships, increased security pressures, and the threat of forced deportation have put them in an extremely precarious situation. Many of these individuals were forced to flee Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover and widespread repression, only to now find themselves at risk in Pakistan as well. While some have received international support, many others remain in limbo, facing an uncertain future and the danger of forced return to Afghanistan.
Pakistan is currently home to 2.1 million Afghan refugees, but the government’s new deportation policies have raised widespread concerns. Amnesty International recently warned that Afghan migrants in Pakistan are facing harassment and called on the government to halt deportations. The organization stressed that implementing forced deportations without considering individual refugee circumstances could endanger lives and constitute a clear violation of human rights.
Bushra Gohar and Jamila Gilani, who have long been active in advocating for women’s rights and refugee protection, listened to the concerns raised during the meeting and pledged to pursue the issue at both political and media levels. They emphasized the need for immediate action and stated that they would push for a press conference to bring greater public and international attention to the plight of Afghan refugees facing deportation.
This meeting took place amid the ongoing implementation of Pakistan’s migration policies, as thousands of Afghan refugees, particularly human rights activists, face an uncertain future and serious threats. Human rights activists and international organizations continue to call for urgent action to halt deportations and develop practical solutions to protect vulnerable groups.