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Pakistan is under fresh international pressure after Amnesty International, in a statement dated 1 January 2026, accused the authorities of unlawfully detaining, harassing and deporting Afghan refugees in violation of international human rights law.
In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Amnesty warned that Pakistan’s mass deportation drive could amount to one of the largest forced returns of refugees in recent history.
The human rights organisation said the government’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan”, announced in September 2023, has led to widespread arrests, arbitrary detention and deportations carried out without due process.
According to figures cited by Amnesty, more than 115,000 Afghan nationals have been arrested or detained this year alone, a sharp increase compared with previous years. The group said children and vulnerable families are among those affected.
Amnesty reported that many detainees are held in centres where they have little or no access to legal representation or contact with family members. Some have been arrested under the Foreigners Act, a decades-old law allowing authorities to detain individuals deemed to be in the country unlawfully.
Nearly 1.5 million forced to return
Data referenced in the statement shows that almost 1.5 million Afghan refugees have been forced to return since the deportation campaign began, with nearly 780,000 removals in 2025 alone.
The deportations are often carried out at short notice, with strict limits on money and belongings refugees are allowed to take. Amnesty said many families are given no opportunity to collect their possessions before being sent back.
The organisation also raised alarm over the treatment of journalists, human rights defenders, women activists and former Afghan officials, warning that such individuals face serious risks under Taliban rule.
Homes demolished as winter sets in
Amnesty said Afghan refugees are increasingly being denied adequate housing. Refugee camps have been shut down across several provinces, while homes have been demolished in major cities, including Karachi.
In Punjab, authorities have warned landlords against renting property to Afghan nationals, leading to criminal cases being filed. In Islamabad, hundreds of families were reportedly forced out of temporary shelters and parks as winter approached.
‘Clear breach of international law’
Amnesty warned that forcibly returning refugees to Afghanistan could breach the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits sending people back to countries where they face a real risk of torture or persecution.
The organisation cited ongoing reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and severe restrictions on women and girls under the Taliban.
In its 1 January 2026 statement, Amnesty called on Pakistan to immediately halt arbitrary arrests and deportations, suspend the repatriation plan, and ensure protection for those at risk.
The letter was signed by Dr. Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
