'Backsliding in human rights': Angelina Jolie expresses concern over Pakistan's deportation of Afghan refugees

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Renowned American actor Angelina Jolie has voiced her deep concern and sadness regarding the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. In an emotional Instagram post, Jolie criticized Pakistan for its unexpected decision to send back vulnerable Afghan families, highlighting the harsh realities they face in present-day Afghanistan.

Jolie acknowledged Pakistan's longstanding support for Afghan refugee families and expressed sadness at the abrupt expulsion, particularly amid Afghanistan's dire circumstances. In the current situation, women are being denied basic rights, access to education is diminishing, imprisonment rates are rising, and a severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding.

"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," she wrote.

"It is yet another example of the backsliding in human rights globally, and is a new tragedy in the long history of the suffering of Afghan people - who have experienced nothing but war and conflict and displacement for over forty years, and are being abandoned by the world after all the promises that were made of a better future for the Afghan people," she continued.

Jolie urged people to stay informed and aware of the situation, providing a link in her bio for Afghan reporting. Meanwhile, Afghan refugees, deported from Pakistan following Islamabad's deadline, are facing harsh conditions amid cold weather. The deportees, forced to leave everything behind, are struggling with the aftermath of their sudden displacement. Pakistan's decision to deport undocumented Afghan refugees has garnered strong reactions from the international community.

Also read: Pakistan's move to deport Afghan refugees increases mistrust between Kabul-Islamabad: Taliban spokesperson

Meanwhile, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press has reported the quoting the Taliban-appointed commander of the border guards in Khorasan Razavi province that the Iranian guards detained and deported 21,407 Afghan migrants to Afghanistan who had crossed into Iran illegally.

Majid Shuja, the Taliban-appointed commander of the border guards in Khorasan Razavi, said that these migrants had been identified during the past nine days when they entered Iran "illegally."

Shuja said that the migrants were handed over to the Taliban's representative in the Dogharun district, Khaama Press reported.

More than 328,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran in the first six months of 2023, according to Khaama Press report. The deportation of Afghan migrants follows reports from Afghan returnees to Iran indicating that some of them, even with official residency permits, were detained and deported.

Last week, Afghan refugees in Iran raised concerns regarding the increase in deportations, arrests, and harassment by the police, TOLO News reported. The Taliban has called on neighbouring countries to not deport Afghan refugees.

"Do not deport refugees by force and do not treat them illegally. Our message to Iran and Pakistan is to be tolerant of the migrants, not to be oppressive and stop the persecution," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, TOLO News reported. (With inputs from ANI)