When Will Pakistan Start the Repatriation of Afghan Nationals with PoR Cards?

Islamabad, Aug 6 (NationPress) The Ministry of Interior in Pakistan has declared that the repatriation process for Afghan nationals who possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards and choose not to return voluntarily will commence on September 1.

According to the announcement from the Ministry, the voluntary repatriation for PoR cardholders will begin immediately, while mandatory repatriation for the remaining Afghan individuals will start on September 1, as reported by The Express Tribune.

This decision was made during a high-level meeting that took into account the escalating security issues and the strain on national resources. The Ministry noted that the ongoing repatriation for Afghan Citizen Card holders will proceed as per the pre-existing resolution established by the Interim Framework for the Return Process (IFRP).

The Ministry of Interior will work in partnership with pertinent international organizations, which include the Taliban-led interim government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to facilitate the repatriation of Afghan refugees.

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will ensure that the de-registration of returning Afghans occurs at transit locations and border checkpoints. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been directed to assist in the return process of Afghan refugees at specified border crossing points. All provincial administrations and relevant organizations are instructed to identify all PoR cardholders residing within their areas.

Previously in July, the UNHCR reported that nearly 1.2 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan since September 2023. The UNHCR highlighted that many returnees are enduring severe conditions and have urged for immediate aid to avert an intensifying humanitarian crisis.

Over 156,000 returnees, including 98,000 registered cardholders, have received humanitarian support since their return to Afghanistan. The UNHCR pointed out that women and girls constitute approximately half of those receiving assistance, while around 2.2 percent of all returnees are individuals with disabilities, as reported by Afghanistan-based Khaama Press, citing a report released on July 31.

The agency noted that more than 315,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan in 2025 alone, which included 51,000 who were forcibly deported by Pakistani authorities. The increasing political and security pressures in Pakistan threaten the status of over two million Afghan refugees who have resided there for many years.

According to the report, numerous Afghan returnees face grim circumstances, lacking adequate housing, employment, and access to essential services in Afghanistan. Humanitarian organizations have urged Afghan authorities and the international community to bolster support, warning that the influx of returnees could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan if assistance is not provided.