ISLAMABAD: The deadline for Afghan refugees staying in Pakistan expired on March 31, and the process of repatriating Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and illegal refugees has commenced from April 1.
Food and healthcare arrangements have been made for returning Afghan nationals. Authorities have warned of strict punitive action against individuals who remain in the country after the deadline. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior had instructed Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country by March 31.
The repatriation of Afghan nationals began on April 1, with the implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) that began in November 2023. The government had provided ample time for the voluntary return of these individuals, which will continue until March 31, 2025. After that date, deportation will proceed.
The interior ministry emphasized that no one would be mistreated during the repatriation process and that sufficient provisions for food and healthcare for returning refugees had been made. Pakistan reiterated its commitment to fulfilling its obligations as a responsible host nation, while also stressing the importance of legal compliance for foreign nationals residing in the country.
Since November 2023, over 886,000 Afghan nationals who were living illegally in Pakistan have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan. However, an estimated 3 million Afghans remain in Pakistan, including many who have been living in the country for years, with some never having lived in Afghanistan.
Amnesty International has criticized Pakistan’s repatriation plan, calling it “opaque” and expressing concerns that the March 31 deadline could worsen the refugees’ situation. Pakistan continues to host 2.1 million documented Afghan refugees, with around 1.3 million holding Proof of Registration cards, primarily residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The repatriation process is part of Pakistan’s broader security measures in response to terrorist activities attributed to groups operating from Afghan soil. In addition to the repatriation, Pakistan also sought information on Afghan students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to update the Foreign National Security Cell’s database.
The repatriation of Afghan refugees has been a contentious issue, with the Taliban urging for a gradual and structured return process to avoid forced deportations and to consider the challenges faced by returnees in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has been home to a significant number of Afghan refugees for several decades. The majority of these refugees arrived in Pakistan during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and many have since settled in the country, particularly in provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), which borders Afghanistan. Over the years, the number of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has fluctuated, and estimates suggest that at one point, over 3 million Afghans were living in Pakistan, with both documented and undocumented status.
Pakistan hosts about 2.1 million documented Afghan refugees, many of whom hold a Proof of Registration (PoR) card. However, a large number of Afghan nationals also live in Pakistan without proper legal documentation. Over the years, Pakistan has periodically provided registration and temporary legal status to Afghan refugees, but many have remained in the country without proper legal documentation or with expired status.
The issue of Afghan refugees has become increasingly contentious in recent years due to security concerns, especially after the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan has faced growing pressure both internally and internationally to manage its Afghan refugee population. Pakistan’s security agencies have linked some of the terrorist activities in the country to groups operating from Afghan soil, and Pakistan has argued that a significant portion of the terrorist threat stems from Afghanistan-based elements.
In response, Pakistan announced the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) in 2023, which aimed to repatriate all illegal foreign nationals, including Afghan refugees, living in the country. This initiative was initially focused on undocumented refugees, but in 2024, the government extended it to include Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders — those who had been granted temporary registration status.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly emphasized the need for Afghan refugees to return to their home country and warned of deportation after a grace period. The deadline for voluntary return was set for March 31, 2025. After this, deportation would begin for those who remain in the country without legal status.
The repatriation program is part of Pakistan’s broader security strategy, which seeks to control its borders more tightly and address what it perceives as the security threat from militant groups operating in and from Afghanistan. Pakistan has also cited the economic burden of hosting millions of refugees and the need to address domestic issues such as poverty and unemployment as reasons for seeking their return.
