Taliban voices 'serious concern' over US plan to deport Afghan migrants via Pakistan

The reported plan would remove Afghan migrants from the United States through Pakistan, with Afghanistan as their eventual destination. It matters because some may lack legal residency in Pakistan and could face danger after arrival in Afghanistan.

US media and AfghanEvac reported that more than 150 Afghans could be affected. The group reportedly includes relatives of people who assisted the US military before the fall of Kabul. Because the United States cannot arrange deportations directly to Afghanistan, Pakistan would oversee the later expulsion.

The Taliban’s foreign ministry expressed “serious concern” and urged Washington to coordinate decisions with the people involved. Taliban authorities say a general amnesty protects former allies, but the United Nations has recorded reports of killings, detentions, and abuses. Advocacy groups therefore warn that the plan could endanger returnees and their families.

A third-country deportation uses an intermediate country during removal. The migrants are not sent directly from the country deporting them to their home country. Instead, they are transferred to another state, which may then arrange or carry out the final return.

In the reported plan, the United States would deport Afghan migrants to Pakistan. Pakistan would then oversee their expulsion to Afghanistan, according to anonymous US officials cited by The New York Times. The arrangement reflects the article’s point that the United States cannot arrange deportations directly to Afghanistan.

This route creates an additional legal and practical step. The Taliban foreign ministry said some Afghans had not obtained legal residency documents in Pakistan and urged coordination over their fate. Pakistan has also ordered arrests of Afghan citizens without visas, while its wider repatriation policy has already pushed back millions of Afghans.

The reported scale is more than 150 Afghans in the United States. That figure comes from US media reports and AfghanEvac, a group supporting former Afghan allies. The number makes the plan a significant test of how former Afghan partners and their families are treated.

Those expected to be deported reportedly include relatives of Afghans who assisted the US military before the fall of Kabul. The article also says some were granted special immigrant visas or deportation protections after the Taliban takeover. Their cases are therefore connected to the US withdrawal and earlier cooperation in Afghanistan.

The exact final group could depend on legal and administrative decisions. The Taliban foreign ministry urged the United States to consider the individuals’ rights and legitimate demands. Advocacy groups warn that returning former allies and their families could put them in danger, despite Taliban promises of a general amnesty.

Pakistan’s role is that of an intermediary in the reported removal process. The United States would send the Afghans to Pakistan, rather than directly to Afghanistan. Pakistan would then handle the next stage of their return.

Anonymous US officials told The New York Times that Pakistan would oversee the migrants’ expulsion to Afghanistan. The article does not give a detailed explanation for the United States’ inability to arrange direct deportations, but it states that direct removal is not possible. This makes Pakistan central to the proposed route.

The arrangement is especially sensitive because Pakistan has tightened action against Afghans without visas. Earlier this year, its government ordered nationwide arrests as part of a repatriation policy that has pushed back millions of Afghans. Relations with Taliban authorities have also worsened, including after deadly border clashes and the near-total closure of the border.

Special immigrant visas and other protections were linked to Afghans’ work with the United States before the Taliban returned to power. They recognized the risks faced by people who assisted US forces or governments. The article connects these protections to the Taliban takeover and the US withdrawal in 2021.

The article says some Afghans were granted special immigrant visas after the takeover. It also reports that relatives of people who assisted the US military before Kabul fell may be among those facing deportation. These family connections matter because threats can extend beyond the original worker.

The current US administration sought to end deportation protections for some Afghans. Advocacy groups warn that removing former allies and their families could endanger their lives. Taliban authorities announced a general amnesty and repeatedly said former foes could safely return, but United Nations reports describe killings, detentions, and abuses.

Returning deported Afghans could expose them to serious harm. The article reports United Nations records of extrajudicial killings, detentions, and abuses under Taliban rule. These reports challenge assurances that returnees can safely go home.

The risk is especially concerning for people linked to former Afghan or Western-backed forces. Among those expected to be deported are relatives of Afghans who assisted the US military before the fall of Kabul. Advocacy groups warn that the removal of former allies and their families could endanger their lives.

The Taliban authorities announced a general amnesty and have repeated promises that former foes can return safely. Yet the article also describes continuing evidence of abuses. That gap between official assurances and reported treatment is why the Taliban foreign ministry urged a measured, coordinated approach and why advocacy groups oppose the removals.

Non-refoulement is a refugee-protection principle that limits deportation to places where someone faces persecution, torture, or similarly serious harm. It means a government should not remove a person before assessing whether return would put them in danger. The principle does not make every deportation impossible, but it requires protection against unsafe return.

Applied here, officials would need to examine each Afghan’s circumstances, including ties to former US-backed forces and any evidence of threats. The article reports United Nations findings of extrajudicial killings, detentions, and abuses under Taliban rule. Advocacy groups say former allies and their families could be at risk.

The article does not state whether the reported plan complies with non-refoulement obligations. It does show why the issue matters. Taliban promises of amnesty conflict with reported abuses, while the foreign ministry urges coordination and attention to individuals’ rights before decisions are made.