Human Rights Watch: Afghans in Pakistan are being used as a political football between the two countries.

Bayan News – Patricia Gossman, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch, says that the expulsion of over one million migrants from Pakistan exposes them to serious problems.

She reacted on Friday (October 12) to the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants by Pakistan, stating that Afghans have been caught in a political game between the two countries for a long time.

In a statement quoting Gossman, the organization said, “While countries are pushing for the resettlement of Afghan refugees and the United Nations is caught off guard by Pakistan’s decision, Afghans are at risk of returning to their country to face harassment, intimidation by the Taliban, and a humanitarian crisis.”

The organization said that many Afghan refugees in Pakistan have applied for asylum in the United States, Germany, and Canada, and 200,000 of them have been relocated so far, while the rest remain in uncertainty. Rights Watch emphasized that Afghan women and girls face even more difficulties in seeking asylum, and the majority of those accepted by countries are men.

Referring to the deadline set by Pakistan for refugees and their threat of forced expulsion after the end of this deadline, the organization said that this threat is being made “at a dangerous time.”

According to Human Rights Watch, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has worsened under the control of the Taliban, and this group has violated women’s rights, including the right to work, education, access to healthcare, and freedom of movement.

The forced expulsion of Afghan migrants by Pakistan has had a negative impact on the diplomatic relations between the two countries.