UN agency urges Pakistan to halt expelling Afghans during winter

The UN refugee agency has called on Pakistan to halt the deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees during the winter season. Pakistan announced last month that it would expel over a million undocumented refugees, mostly Afghans. The UNHCR has urged for the return of Afghans to be voluntary and for Pakistan to identify vulnerable individuals who need international protection. Pakistan is home to over 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, with about 1.7 million being undocumented. Pakistani police have been searching refugee settlements for those who have not left voluntarily.