Peril and Prosecution: Afghan Exile Prosecutors Face Security Crisis Amid Migrant Expulsion from Pakistan

The Afghan Association of Prosecutors in Exile has expressed grave concerns over the security situation following the recent expulsion of migrants from Pakistan. The association, during a session in Islamabad on Tuesday, November 21, emphasized the multitude of challenges its members face, particularly female prosecutors in Pakistan, who are grappling with various legal issues. The heightened security concerns stem from Pakistan’s decision to expel migrants.

Since the Taliban takeover, the association reports that 37 prosecutors in Afghanistan have been killed, and another 45 are currently detained and subjected to torture by the group. Afghan prosecutors in Pakistan are now lodging complaints about the lack of access to immigration rights, the denial of education for their children, and inadequate healthcare facilities. They urgently call on migrant-receiving countries to expedite the resolution of their cases.

Criticism has been directed at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for its alleged failure to address the asylum cases of these prosecutors. The association is urging migrant-receiving countries, particularly the European Union, to prioritize the resolution of their migration cases.

These concerns arise against the backdrop of Pakistan’s interim government instructing approximately 1.4 million Afghan citizens to leave the country by the beginning of November or face expulsion. This stance by Pakistan has raised significant apprehensions regarding the safety of human rights activists, journalists, security personnel, and former government officials upon their return to Afghanistan.

International organizations active in Afghanistan estimate that around 340,000 individuals have been expelled from Pakistan to date. The situation underscores the pressing need for attention and intervention to address the security and humanitarian challenges faced by Afghan prosecutors in exile.