According to his son, an Afghan man whose information was mistakenly posted online by the UK in a major data breach has been arrested in Pakistan for imminent deportation along with several family members.
The man was identified as part of one of Afghanistan's special forces units that collaborated with British forces, according to the BBC, and the family indicates that he was a member of the Afghan special forces unit that worked with British troops. Pakistan continues to deport 'illegal foreign nationals' to their home countries, which has led to the threat of deportation for the family. However, the Afghan man's uncle said that their case is particularly critical because if they are deported to Afghanistan, he is concerned that they will be killed as a result of his family's association.
The Taliban government states that all Afghans can 'live in the country without fear.' However, a UN report published last month, titled "No Safe Haven," cast doubt on their claims of a general amnesty.
The man and his family were in Pakistan waiting for a final decision on their application to the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Programme (ARAP). This programme was established to relocate and protect Afghans who served with British forces or the UK government after the Taliban took power in August 2021. The family's application was endorsed by the Ministry of Defence last year.
Rayan, the man's uncle, is now in danger of being arrested after hiding in a hotel bathroom with his wife and baby son, as several of his family members have already been taken to a holding camp.
"Some of my relatives are just children; the youngest is just eight months old, and we're still waiting for the police to remove them," Rayan said. Later that day, Rayan said that officials from the camp had called him to inform him they would be deported.
"My brother and I were kept in a room with 90 others, and were then identified and separated," Rayan said. "I'm so worried that they will be deported right away." Rayan added that the family had been in limbo in Pakistan since October 2024, when their biometrics were taken. "We've just been waiting for no explanation," he said. "They kept advising us that we should wait, but now it is too late."
UK Government and MP Response
The Ministry of Defence's spokesperson said it does not comment on individual cases. The statement continued, "We are fully committed to honouring our commitments to all eligible individuals who have passed their relevant checks for relocation."
The family's details were made more vulnerable by the fact that they were among nearly 19,000 Afghans who had to re-establish contact with the UK after being inadvertently leaked in February 2022. Families affected by the leak fear it has made them more susceptible to harm. Rayan is now afraid that police will detain him, his wife, and their child next, and has pleaded with the British High Commission in Islamabad to be relocated to another hotel for protection.
Calvin Bailey, a Labour MP who served with the Afghan special forces as an RAF commander, told the BBC that the situation is "very upsetting." He stated that Rayan's father and the special forces were "people we should help and we owe a debt to, and we must ensure that they have more than the minimum protection." Bailey also went on to say that while this work is not always public, he hopes that the government and the British High Commission are involved behind the scenes.
Pakistan's Position on Deportation
Pakistan has a long history of taking in Afghan refugees. However, the government has previously stated that the length of time it has taken for Afghans to be relocated to other countries has been frustrating.
Talal Chaudry, Pakistan's Interior Minister, told the BBC that the UK authorities should be asked why they are delaying these resettlements. "It's already been years," he said. "Do you really think they will give any leniency to Pakistani nationals who are overstaying in the United Kingdom?"
According to the United Nations migration agency, 1,159,812 people have returned to Afghanistan since September 2023, the year Pakistan introduced its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan. The government has maintained that its programme is aimed at all unlawful foreign nationals.
According to the UN's refugee agency, around three million Afghans are living in Pakistan, with around 600,000 having arrived after the Taliban took over in 2021. The UN estimates that half are undocumented. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has asked Pakistan to "ensure that any return of Afghans to Afghanistan is voluntary, safe, and dignified." The UNHCR has also urged the government to take steps to exclude Afghans with ongoing international protection requirements from involuntary returns, amid police raids and deportations this summer.
