ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has drafted a comprehensive three-phase plan to repatriate Afghan refugees, directing foreign missions to coordinate the relocation of Afghan nationals out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31, 2025.
Failure to do so would result in their forced repatriation to Afghanistan.
The move comes amid US President Donald Trump’s suspension of the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which effectively halts the promised resettlement of Afghan nationals, including those who worked with American forces, NATO, and international NGOs.
When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, thousands of Afghans fled to neighboring Pakistan, hoping to receive US visas as part of the resettlement scheme. Now, they face uncertainty and potential deportation.
A document drafted by Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office, seen by CNN, outlines a phased strategy requiring foreign missions to expedite the resettlement process for Afghan nationals in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. If Afghan nationals are not relocated by March 31, 2025, they will be “repatriated to Afghanistan,” according to official sources.
The plan also involves monitoring and enforcement measures by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office. The Interior Ministry emphasized that under the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP),” all undocumented foreigners, including Afghan nationals, would be deported.
Additionally, Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), issued nearly a decade ago, may also face deportation if their resettlement is not completed.
Shakoofa Khalili, who worked on a child abuse protection programme funded by the US Embassy while living in Afghanistan, shared her ordeal with media outlets, explaining how she now lives in hiding in Islamabad with her husband and child. Khalili voiced fears of arrest, torture, or death if deported to Afghanistan, where the Taliban consider former US collaborators enemies.
Many Afghan refugees, particularly women, journalists, activists, and ethnic minorities, continue to face persecution under Taliban rule. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have both warned against the dire consequences of forced deportation, calling it a breach of international refugee protection standards.
Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac — a coalition of resettlement and veteran groups — said that between 10,000 to 15,000 Afghans in Pakistan are awaiting US visas or third-country resettlement.
In a social media post, VanDiver highlighted how Trump’s policy disproportionately affects Afghan women stranded in Pakistan. “Since the fall of Kabul, Afghan women have been systematically erased from public life — banned from education, work, and basic freedoms. For many, USRAP was the only viable path to safety. With the pause, that door has slammed shut,” he wrote.
In recent years, Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on Afghan refugees, particularly since 2023, as a means to pressure the Taliban to curtail cross-border militant activity. According to the UNHCR, approximately 800,000 Afghan nationals have already left Pakistan during this period.
The Punjab and Sindh provinces have witnessed ongoing operations targeting Afghan refugees without valid legal status. Vehicles carrying undocumented Afghans have been intercepted, and thousands have been taken into custody or forced to return to Afghanistan.
The government maintains that its measures aim to address security concerns and curb the economic strain posed by undocumented residents.
Despite Pakistan’s Interior Ministry urging rapid resettlement efforts, neither the US Embassy in Islamabad nor Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided details about current coordination efforts.
Humanitarian groups, however, are calling for immediate intervention to prevent large-scale deportations.
Pakistan hosts one of the largest Afghan refugee populations in the world, with over three million Afghans living in the country, including more than 800,000 undocumented individuals.
The waves of Afghan migration date back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, followed by further displacement after the US-led intervention post-9/11.
The chaotic withdrawal of American troops in 2021 triggered yet another influx, with approximately 600,000 refugees crossing into Pakistan.
For Afghan nationals like Khalili, the suspension of US visa processing and the looming deportation threat is a devastating blow.
“The Taliban view us as enemies,” Khalili said, “and we face the grim reality of arrest, torture, or death if we are forced back.”
She added, “This suspension denies us the shelter and protection we were promised, leaving us vulnerable to unimaginable consequences at the mercy of the Taliban.”
The unfolding situation underscores the precarious position of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the urgent need for international cooperation to address the humanitarian crisis.
