The UN refugee chief has urged Pakistan to pause its mass expulsions of Afghan refugees after a devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed nearly 1,500 people. “Given the circumstances, I appeal to the Government of Pakistan to pause the implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said on X. He warned that those being forced out are “returning to a disaster zone”. His appeal came as rescue teams continued struggling to reach survivors after the shallow, magnitude-6.0 quake struck the mountainous region bordering Pakistan late Sunday, collapsing mud-brick homes as families slept.
