Noble laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged the government to reconsider its policy of evicting illegal immigrants – including over 1.7 million Afghan refugees – from Pakistan.

“I echo UN experts’ call and urge the Pakistani government to reconsider its rushed policy of mass deportation,” she said in a post on X on Friday.

The government has set a November 1 deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the country. The government has set up “holding centres” to keep any illegal refugees remaining after the deadline.

Many experts and people whose livelihood depends on the border crossing have urged the government to review the decision. It merits here to mention that many people from other side of the border come here for medical treatment.

“Afghan refugees — children, women, men, elderly — fleeing Taliban persecution deserve support, dignity, and safety, not further obstacles and harassment,” Malala said.

On Thursday, thousands of people protested at the Chaman border in Balochistan against the government’s decision to restrict the border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan by making it mandatory for people to have a passport or visa to enter the country.

At least 16,000 illegal immigrants have voluntarily returned home, caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai said on Friday.

While on the subject of repatriation and deportation of illegal foreigners at the National Security Workshop, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir said: “Safety and security of each Pakistani is of paramount importance which cannot be allowed to be compromised at any cost.”