Quetta, May 13: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan has arrested 34 Afghan nationals, including women and children. They were reportedly attempting to enter Pakistan without the necessary documents, heading towards Gwadar in Balochistan.
Local media reported the information from an FIA spokesperson. According to a report published in Pakistan’s Daily Dawn, the FIA spokesperson stated that the Turbat wing conducted a raid in the CPEC Road area after receiving intelligence. The arrested individuals were allegedly trying to illegally enter Iran via the Gwadar region.
The detained Afghan nationals include men, women, and children. Following initial questioning, cases have been registered against them, and further investigations have begun to identify those involved in the illegal movement of foreign nationals and their networks.
The spokesperson mentioned that this operation was conducted under the ban on illegal human trafficking and border crossings without documentation.
Last week, the Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) reported that Afghan refugees in Pakistan often face arbitrary arrests, abuse, extortion, and threats of forced deportation. In a report released on May 8, AMSO stated that over 3.4 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan and Iran since 2023. According to Afghan news agency Khama Press, this action is part of an intensified campaign against undocumented foreigners.
The survey indicated that 68.3% of Afghans reported being arrested or jailed, while 96.4% of those detained faced abuse during their arrest or detention. Furthermore, 85.7% had to pay bribes to avoid arrest or secure their release.
Additionally, 75.6% of respondents reported facing threats, humiliation, and mental harassment, while 72.4% were held for more than 48 hours without judicial review. The organization noted that no individual risk assessments were conducted when deporting anyone from Pakistan.
AMSO stated that this report was prepared in collaboration with the World Organization Against Torture and presented to the United Nations Committee Against Torture. The report is based on a survey of 41 Afghan nationals, six detailed interviews, and documents from organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amnesty International, and the Pakistan Human Rights Commission.
Since the end of 2023, Pakistan has accelerated the deportation process for undocumented Afghan nationals, citing security concerns and economic pressures.
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