Afghan Women’s Rights Activists in Pakistan Face Deportation and Persecution Risks
More than 50 prominent Afghan women’s rights activists sheltering in Pakistan are at imminent risk of deportation, fearing imprisonment or execution under Taliban rule. These women, who have fought for education and human rights, now find themselves in hiding as Pakistan intensifies its crackdown on Afghan refugees.
Pakistan’s government has initiated a mass expulsion of undocumented Afghan nationals, citing security concerns and rising border tensions with Afghanistan. Since September 2023, at least 844,499 Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported, with reports of arbitrary arrests and police harassment in cities like Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Among those targeted are 60 Afghan women activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders who fled Taliban persecution. Many fear for their lives if forced to return, as the Taliban has records of their activism.
A Life in Hiding
One of the activists, Humaira Alim, who worked for seven years advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan, fled to Pakistan in 2022 after receiving direct threats from the Taliban. Now, she and her children live in constant fear, facing harassment from authorities and even being forced to hide on their rooftop to avoid arrest.
“If they send me back to Afghanistan, it only means death,” Alim said. “The Taliban will arrest, torture, or kill us. There is no future for women like me in Afghanistan.”
Urgent Calls for Asylum
Several international organizations, including Amnesty International and Avaaz, have condemned Pakistan’s actions. Liliana Harrington, senior campaigner at Avaaz, warned:
“Deporting these women to the Taliban is a death sentence. Pakistan would be abandoning these brave people to their oppressors.”
With a March 31 deadline looming for all undocumented Afghan nationals, these women are desperately seeking asylum in third countries. Brazil has emerged as a possible option, but activists are calling on other nations to step forward and offer them a safe haven before it’s too late.
International Condemnation
Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for South Asia, criticized Pakistan’s actions, stating:
“Pakistani authorities are violating Afghan refugees’ rights with impunity, subjecting them to arbitrary decisions that lack transparency and accountability.”
A Race Against Time
With the deadline fast approaching, the fate of these courageous Afghan women remains uncertain. Unless urgent international intervention occurs, they could soon be forced back into a regime that seeks to silence them forever.
