Angelina Jolie Slams Pakistan's Forced Expulsion Of Afghan Migrants

 

American actress and filmmaker Angelina Jolie has voiced concern about Pakistan’s forcible deportation of migrants and refugees from Afghanistan. Former UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) special envoy Angelina Jolie called the plight of Afghan migrants “another example of the backsliding in human rights globally.”

By November 1, the Pakistani government mandated that “illegal foreigners” return to their home countries. An estimated 1.7 million Afghan migrants were thought to be living illegally in Pakistan.

Three additional border crossings were opened by Pakistan on Monday in order to remove unauthorized Afghan migrants. In recent weeks, over 300,000 Afghans have already departed Pakistan.

Afghan migrants were particularly affected when Pakistani authorities began their crackdown to drive out illegal immigrants. Afghan refugees were compelled to return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The Afghan government, which is governed by the Taliban, also criticized the action.

Human Rights Watch claims that Afghan migrants without legal status were threatened, mistreated, and detained by Pakistani authorities, who then forced them to return to their home country or risk being deported by November 1, 2023. Human Rights Watch researcher Fereshta Abbasi claimed that unregistered Afghan migrants in Pakistan were subject to beatings, intimidation, and arbitrary incarceration.