Pakistan Initiates Deportation of Afghan Refugees as Deadline Expires
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Synopsis
Pakistan is set to initiate the deportation of Afghan refugees on Tuesday after the voluntary return deadline expired on March 31. The Afghan Taliban government has urged Pakistan to halt these deportations, emphasizing the need for humane treatment of refugees.
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan starts deportation of Afghan refugees.
- Deadline for voluntary return ended on March 31.
- 878,972 Afghan refugees have returned voluntarily.
- Afghan government urges Pakistan to stop deportations.
- Concerns raised over risks faced by returning refugees.
Islamabad, April 1 (NationPress) Pakistan is set to commence the deportation of Afghan refugees starting Tuesday, following the expiration of the voluntary return deadline on March 31.
According to a report by the state-run Radio Pakistan, "strict legal actions will be taken against the individuals involved" since the deadline has elapsed.
The report further indicated that up to now, 878,972 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan voluntarily.
In response, the Afghan Taliban government has urged Islamabad to refrain from initiating deportations of Afghans. Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, the Minister of Refugees and Repatriation in Afghanistan, has called on neighboring nations such as Pakistan and Iran to cease deportations and allow Afghans to return home voluntarily.
He highlighted the need for humane treatment of refugees, especially considering reports of mistreatment faced by Afghans by bordering countries, including cases where individuals with legal visas were also deported, as reported by the Afghan government-run Bakhtar News Agency.
Just a day prior, Pakistan's law enforcement agencies in Islamabad and Rawalpindi received instructions to arrest and deport Afghan refugees as the government’s deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to exit the country concluded on Monday.
The chief of Rawalpindi Police has instructed superintendents in the Rawal, Potohar, and Saddar divisions to take legal action against illegal Afghan nationals residing or working in the district, as reported by Pakistan's leading newspaper, Dawn.
“We have been informed that all Afghan nationals holding ACC cards must be expelled from Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” a police official conveyed to Dawn.
Moreover, the directives stipulate that Afghans possessing Proof of Registration (PoR) cards residing in the twin cities must also leave Pakistan, in adherence to government policy. The deadline for PoR cardholders to exit the country is set for June 30, 2025.
Pakistan’s deportation policy has drawn criticism from various international organizations, which have expressed concerns regarding the severe risks refugees face upon their return amid ongoing uncertainties in Afghanistan.
Previously, the US-based advocacy group, Human Rights Watch, condemned Pakistan for the “forced” deportation of Afghan refugees.
“Pakistani officials should immediately halt coercing Afghans to return home and provide those facing expulsion an opportunity to seek protection,” stated Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
