Kathmandu — According to Afghan media, some of those affected by Monday’s earthquake in Kunar province were recently forcibly expelled from Pakistan.

Local media outlet Tolo News reported that Afghans who had been expelled from Pakistan were among those impacted by the earthquake.

The United Nations has stated that Pakistan intensified efforts to expel undocumented Afghan refugees from its territory. In March, Human Rights Watch claimed that Pakistani authorities pressured Afghan refugees to return forcibly.

The UN has warned that sending Afghans, who fled Taliban persecution and economic crisis to Pakistan, back forcibly poses a serious threat to their lives.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 3.5 million Afghans are residing in Pakistan as refugees. Pakistan had allowed Afghan refugees to stay during decades of war. However, citing national security risks, Pakistan has begun forcibly repatriating them and has tightened restrictions on access to public services for Afghan refugees.