ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to strictly implement the March 31 deadline for the expulsion of illegal Afghan nationals, rejecting any possibility of an extension.
The decision, finalized during a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Interior, comes amid ongoing security concerns and increasing terrorist threats.
Officials have also instructed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to provide a complete record of Afghan students by March 27. The data will be integrated into the Foreign National Security Cell’s dashboard, which is used to track and manage the presence of foreign nationals in the country.
Pakistan has been expelling undocumented Afghans as part of a broader security strategy, with 878,972 individuals already having returned to Afghanistan, according to official figures reported by Radio Pakistan. The government has linked the crackdown to its efforts to counter militant activities, which Islamabad has repeatedly blamed on groups operating from Afghan soil.
However, the policy has sparked criticism from international human rights groups. Amnesty International has urged Pakistan to reconsider the expulsion plan, arguing that the decision is opaque and will worsen conditions for Afghan nationals, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades. The rights group emphasized that the March 31 deadline would further endanger vulnerable individuals.
Pakistan remains home to 2.1 million documented Afghan refugees, many of whom arrived due to conflict and instability in their home country. UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Afridi stated that 1.3 million Afghans hold Proof of Registration (PoR) Cards, with over 52% settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Additionally, around 800,000 Afghans possess Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), with a large majority also residing in KP.
For nearly five decades, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees, many of whom were born and raised in the country. However, authorities have made it clear that all undocumented Afghans, including ACC cardholders, must leave by March 31.
As the deadline nears, Afghan communities are grappling with uncertainty and anxiety, particularly in cities like Peshawar, which has the largest Afghan population in the country. Many Afghan families have established businesses or spent generations living and working in Pakistan, making the looming expulsion particularly challenging.
This is not the first time the government has enforced such measures. In October 2023, Pakistan ordered all unregistered foreigners to leave, prompting a mass exodus of undocumented Afghans via border crossings like Torkham. Special camps were set up in Chamkani, Nowshera, and other districts to assist with repatriation.
With the deadline now just days away, authorities remain firm in their stance, signaling a final phase in Pakistan’s policy toward undocumented Afghan nationals.
