Pakistan intends to deport around 20,000 Afghan refugees who have been awaiting resettlement in the United States, as reported by local media. The federal government of Pakistan will instruct senior provincial authorities and police in various regions to facilitate the deportation process. Most of these refugees fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021 and have been waiting for over three years to relocate to other countries.
In recent months, Pakistan has already deported some Afghan refugees who were part of the US resettlement lists, citing concerns about Washington’s commitment to the program. The US suspended Afghan refugee admissions after an Afghan national shot two US National Guard soldiers near the White House in December. This led to the suspension of visa issuance for Afghan passport holders by former US President Donald Trump and a review of existing Afghan immigration cases.
Several Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan have urged both the Pakistani government and Afghan authorities to address challenges through dialogue and allow them sufficient time to return to Afghanistan gradually with dignity. Refugee rights activists stress the importance of a voluntary and gradual return process supported by international organizations to prevent a new humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Refugee rights activist Allah Mir Miakhail highlighted that security agencies are detaining and deporting Afghan refugees, causing disruptions as many need time to wrap up their affairs. The returnees, some holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, face challenges as these documents are now invalid. Activist Ali Reza Karimi pointed out that many Afghan refugees lack basic human rights and live in uncertainty due to the absence of legal and valid identity documents.
