Day 89 of Op Ghazab — UN OHCHR Warns Afghan Deportees Face 'Serious Risks of Persecution'; Journalists Day 19, 18, 16 in Taliban Detention; 20-Day Strike Pause

May 25, 2026 (Day 89 of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq): The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a warning through spokesperson Shabia Mantoo that forced returns to Afghanistan expose deportees to 'serious risks of persecution, abuse and other human rights violations' — directly challenging Pakistan's continued acceleration of mass deportations of Afghan refugees. OHCHR DEPORTATION WARNING CONTEXT: Pakistan has deported over 146,000 Afghans in 2026 alone, following more than 1 million forced returns in 2025. The OHCHR warning came amid reports from Human Rights Watch (April 21) documenting 'surging forced returns' with abusive raids, arbitrary detention of refugees, and nine Afghan journalists with valid visas forcibly returned by Pakistani police. More than 1.3 million Afghan refugees became undocumented when Pakistan stopped renewing Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, and approximately 2 million Afghans are at risk of forced return. MSF (Doctors Without Borders) had reported fear of deportation was causing life-threatening consequences for Afghan patients avoiding medical care in Pakistan. RETURNEE CRISIS: The OHCHR warning came against the backdrop of Afghanistan under active conflict. OCHA's May 2026 Contingency Plan documented two compounding humanitarian scenarios: mass returnee influx from Iran (US-Israel hostility spillover) and renewed Pakistan-Afghanistan hostilities causing additional internal displacement. Afghanistan already has 17.4 million people facing acute food insecurity and a $1.71 billion UN humanitarian appeal unfunded by approximately 60%. JOURNALIST DETENTIONS — DAY 19/18/16: The three detained Afghan journalists continued in Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) custody: Paigard News Agency director Jawid Niazi (Day 19 — detained May 6), TOLO News presenter Mansoor Niazi (Day 18 — detained May 7), and TOLO News political editor Imran Danish (Day 16 — detained May 9). No formal charges have been announced. The Taliban announced intent to put the TOLOnews journalists on trial. CPJ, Amnesty International, UNAMA, and the EU have all called for their immediate release. OPERATIONAL STATUS (Day 89): No confirmed Pakistani cross-border airstrikes into Afghanistan for the 20th consecutive day since the May 5 Dangam, Kunar strike. Pakistan security forces continued precision intelligence-based operations (IBOs) within Pakistani territory. The cumulative IBO tally under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq since the May 5 strike pause: 22+ killed in Shewa (May 17-20), Afghan commander Basir killed (May 20), 4 killed including Tor Saqib (May 21), 11 killed in two Datta Khel IBOs (May 24 — international confirmation by Xinhua May 25). Pakistan ISPR continues to frame all killed militants as 'Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij.' No formal ceasefire; no Urumqi Round 2 date; China has been silent on mediation since April 8. DIPLOMATIC CONTEXT: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi had engaged both Pakistan's and Afghanistan's foreign ministers in Beijing in May, described as paving the way for eventual diplomatic normalization, but no comprehensive agreement has been signed. Pakistan's three core demands — Taliban formally designates TTP as a terrorist organization, dismantles its infrastructure, and provides verifiable proof — remain unmet. The Taliban cannot politically afford to be seen as collaborating with a foreign power against Pashtun fighters on Afghan soil.