Pakistan plans to expel 3 million Afghan refugees living in the country, as part of a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in the country. The deadline for Afghans to voluntarily leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi expired, with arrests and deportations initially set to begin on April 10. About 845,000 Afghans have already left Pakistan, while 3 million are still in the country. Those with Proof of Registration cards have until June 30 to leave, while Afghan Citizen Card holders were supposed to leave by March 31.
The Pakistani government intends to prevent the return of deported Afghans and will coordinate with foreign missions for the resettlement of those bound for third countries. However, tens of thousands of Afghans are now in limbo after the U.S. paused refugee programs. Afghanistan’s Refugee Ministry criticized Pakistan’s unilateral decision to expel refugees without involving the U.N. or the Taliban government.
Transit stations will be set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for deportations, with uncertainties regarding children born in Pakistan to Afghan parents and couples with different documentation. One Afghan man expressed concern about being forced to leave despite never having been to Afghanistan, while another raised the issue of lack of relatives in Afghanistan and appealed for more time to explore potential job opportunities. The situation remains uncertain for many Afghan families in Pakistan facing expulsion.
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