Forced Expulsion of Afghan Refugees

That the Parliament notes with concern the reported forced expulsion of 1.1 million undocumented Afghan refugees from Iran in 2025, which, it understands, included 546,000 between 1 June and 9 July alone, with a further 1.3 million reportedly expelled from Pakistan since early 2024; believes that this is one of the biggest forced migrations in history; considers that returning to an Afghanistan ruled by the Taliban means an end to education for girls aged 11 years and over and possible Taliban retaliation against perceived enemies of its regime; acknowledges that many refugees have lived in Iran and Pakistan for decades and may have been born in one of those countries; understands that Afghanistan is one of the world’s poorest countries and already faces a humanitarian crisis, which, it believes, huge numbers of returning refugees, homeless, jobless and without food can only exacerbate; is aware that Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan has reportedly stated that “forcing refugees back to a country experiencing a humanitarian crisis is unconscionable”, and urges the international community, including the UK Government, to intensify diplomatic efforts with Iran and Pakistan to halt further expulsions and support the protection of Afghan refugees, working through diplomatic channels to press for an end to forced returns and for the restoration of what it considers are fundamental human rights in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls.