PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan has announced plans to expel 3 million Afghan nationals from the country within the year, following the expiration of a voluntary departure deadline for Afghans in the capital Islamabad and surrounding areas this past Monday. This initiative is part of a larger crackdown initiated in October 2023 aimed at removing illegal foreign residents, predominantly Afghans, from Pakistan. The campaign has faced criticism from human rights organizations, the Taliban government, and the United Nations.
Though deportations were initially scheduled to commence on April 1, the start date was postponed to April 10 to accommodate the Eid al-Fitr holidays, which mark the conclusion of Ramadan. Recent data from the International Organization for Migration indicates that approximately 845,000 Afghans have departed Pakistan in the last 18 months. Pakistan estimates that around 3 million Afghans are currently residing in the country, of which 1,344,584 possess Proof of Registration cards, and 807,402 hold Afghan Citizen Cards. There remains an additional million who do not have any paperwork, putting them at risk of expulsion.
The Pakistani government has emphasized that those deported will not be allowed to return. Authorities have specifically instructed Afghan Citizen cardholders to vacate Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31, threatening deportation for those who do not comply. Meanwhile, Afghans with Proof of Registration can stay in Pakistan until June 30, and those seeking resettlement in a third country must also leave by the end of March.
As part of this process, Pakistani officials have committed to collaborating with foreign diplomatic missions to facilitate the safe resettlement of Afghan nationals; those who cannot secure resettlement will also be subjected to deportation. The situation follows a significant influx of Afghan refugees fleeing their country after the Taliban seized control in 2021. Many have been approved for resettlement in the U.S. through programs aimed at protecting those at risk due to their affiliations with American agencies, media, and aid organizations. However, following President Donald Trump’s suspension of U.S. refugee programs in January, approximately 20,000 Afghans find themselves in limbo.
Amidst these developments, the Taliban has expressed its desire for Afghan refugees to return home with dignity. Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Refugee Ministry, criticized Pakistan for making unilateral decisions regarding refugee expulsion without involving the U.N. refugee agency or the Taliban government. He highlighted the mutual interests at stake, arguing that mass expulsions could foster unrest and anti-Pakistan sentiment among Afghans.
To assist in the deportation process, two transit stations will be established in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province: one in Nasir Bagh, located in the Peshawar suburbs, and another in the border town of Landi Kotal, a mere 7 kilometers from the Torkham crossing to Afghanistan. However, uncertainty looms over the fate of Afghan children born in Pakistan to Afghan parents, those with parents of differing citizenship statuses, and families where one parent is a Pakistani citizen while the other is Afghan. Pakistani officials have indicated that social welfare workers will be available to address such cases.
The plight of many Afghans remains precarious; for example, Omaid Khan, 30, holds an Afghan Citizen Card while his wife possesses Proof of Registration. Their two children lack any documentation. Khan expressed trepidation regarding their return to Afghanistan, stating, "I am from Paktia province but I have never been there and I am not sure about my future." Similarly, Nazir Ahmed, a 21-year-old born in Quetta, Pakistan, lamented his inability to return to a country where he has no familial connections, pleading with the government for additional time to secure employment and ascertain their future.
— Riaz Khan And Riazat Butt, The Associated Press
