Guterres urges rights of Afghan migrants in Pakistan deportations
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on his official visit to Islamabad, stressed that the return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan must be “voluntary, safe and dignified,” as deportations have increased over the past two years and prompted widespread concern.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Guterres said the United Nations would work with Pakistan to ensure that migrant protection principles are respected. He also thanked Pakistan for hosting millions of Afghan migrants for decades, adding that people in Pakistan shared their resources with migrants during years of war and instability in Afghanistan.
In another part of his remarks, the UN secretary-general said the United Nations stands “with Pakistan” in the fight against terrorism and described addressing the country’s “legitimate” security concerns as necessary. At the same time, he warned that any security measures must be consistent with international law, human rights and the rule of law to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability.
These comments come amid rising tensions in recent months between Pakistan and the Taliban administration, which have led to border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. The UN mission in Afghanistan had said that “civilians” were killed in those strikes, while Islamabad has released videos claiming it targeted only “militant hideouts.”
Pakistan says the activities of armed groups in Afghanistan, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and some Baloch separatist groups, have become one of the country’s main security threats. Pakistani officials have also said that more than 4,500 security personnel and civilians have been killed in attacks by these groups over the past three years, a claim the Taliban administration has rejected.
Later in the visit, at a ceremony at Pakistan’s presidential palace, President Asif Ali Zardari awarded Guterres the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, described as Pakistan’s highest civilian honour. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, cabinet members and foreign ambassadors.
Guterres is visiting Pakistan at a time when the issue of Afghan migrants, as well as security tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban administration, remain among the contentious issues in regional relations and on the agenda of international bodies dealing with Afghanistan.
