Angelina Jolie Slams Pakistan’s Forced Expulsion Of Afghan Migrants

Angelina Jolie, an American actress and filmmaker, has expressed concern over Pakistan’s forced expulsion of Afghan refugees and migrants. Angelina Jolie, who previously served as a special envoy to UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), has described the sufferings of Afghan migrants as “another example of the backsliding in human rights globally.”

The government in Pakistan ordered “illegal foreigners” to return to their countries of origin by November 1. Reportedly, an estimated 1.7 million Afghan migrants lived in Pakistan illegally. 

Nearly 300,000 Afghans left Pakistan

On Monday, Pakistan opened three new border crossings for expulsion of illegal Afghan migrants. Around 300,000 Afghans have already left Pakistan in recent weeks. 

When the Pakistani authorities started the crackdown to expel illegal migrants, Afghan migrants were the most affected. Afghan migrants were forced to return to Taliban rule in Afghanistan. The move also drew criticism from the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. 

According to Human Rights Watch, the Pakistani authorities used threats, abuse, and detention to force Afghan migrants without legal status to return to Afghanistan or face deportation by November 1, 2023. Fereshta Abbasi, a Researcher in the Asia division at Human Rights Watch, said that Afghan migrants without registration faced harassment, assault, beatings, and arbitrary detention in Pakistan. 

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The United Nations called the situation a human rights catastrophe. Migrant women and girls are at great risk of facing human rights abuses.

According to government reports and sources, around 15,000 Afghan migrants have been crossing the border every day from Pakistan since the crackdown on illegal migrants by Pakistani authorities. 

Amnesty International wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Many Afghans in Pakistan are now facing police raids and demolition of their homes without due process.”

Angelina Jolie expresses concern over deportation of Afghan migrants

Angelina Jolie slammed Pakistan for its decision to send back vulnerable Afghan migrants. Angelina Jolie took to Instagram to highlight the plight of Afghan migrants. She wrote on Instagram, “Pakistan has been a supporter of many Afghan refugee families for decades. I am saddened they would so abruptly push back refugees who face the impossible realities of trying to survive in today’s Afghanistan, where women have again been deprived of all rights and the possibility of education, many are being imprisoned, and there is a deep humanitarian crisis.”

The renowned Hollywood actress further said, “It is yet another example of the backsliding in human rights globally.”

In October, Pakistan established deportation centers to hold illegal migrants. The authorities started a crackdown to expel illegal migrants who entered the country without registration or documents. Three deportation centers were established in Pakistan.

In the southwest Pakistani border town of Chaman, tens of thousands of migrants protested the move. However, the authorities did not extend the deadline.

Migrants are now caught between the threat of Taliban reprisals and expulsions from Pakistan.