Pakistan Resumes Afghan Refugee deportations

Following the expiration of a deadline for legal residency, Pakistani authorities have begun forcibly returning Afghan refugees, officials confirmed Monday.The move impacts roughly 1.4 million Afghans who held Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which became invalid at the end of June.

Many of those affected had requested a one-year extension too finalize personal matters, including property sales and business closures, before repatriation. In addition to PoR cardholders,approximately 800,000 Afghans possess Afghan Citizen Cards and are also being targeted for deportation,as they are considered to be residing in Pakistan illegally. Police are conducting detentions in the provinces of Punjab,Balochistan,and Sindh in preparation for these returns.

The United Nations High commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has voiced criticism of the decision. A June report from the UNHCR indicated that 1.2 million Afghan nationals had already been compelled to return from iran and Pakistan this year. The agency warns that large-scale repatriations could destabilize Afghanistan,which is currently governed by the Taliban following their rise to power in 2021.A government notification issued on July 31st formally confirmed Pakistan’s intention to repatriate all individuals holding expired PoR cards, citing that Afghans without valid passports and Pakistani visas are in violation of local immigration laws.

According to two government and security officials speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization, police are carrying out detentions across Pakistan to facilitate transport to border crossings.While officials state there are no mass arrests, police have been instructed to conduct house-to-house checks and random inspections to identify and detain undocumented foreign nationals.

Shakeel Khan,commissioner for Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,stated the operation represents the most meaningful action taken under directives from the federal government in Islamabad,and emphasized the deportations are being carried out “in a dignified way.”

Rehmat Ullah, a 35-year-old Afghan national, shared that his family, who migrated to Peshawar decades ago, is now preparing to return to Afghanistan. He expressed concern about the disruption to his children’s education, noting that he and his children were born in Pakistan.

Millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan over the past four decades, fleeing conflict, political instability, and economic hardship. This renewed deportation effort follows a nationwide crackdown initiated in 2023 targeting foreigners living illegally within Pakistan. The Interior Ministry, responsible for overseeing the campaign, has not yet issued a public comment.

Qaiser Khan Afridi, a spokesperson for the UNHCR, expressed “deep concern” regarding the government’s actions, stating that the deportations constitute refoulement – a violation of international obligations. He urged Pakistan to adopt a “humane approach” prioritizing voluntary, gradual, and dignified returns. Afridi warned that a rapid and large-scale return could endanger the lives and freedoms of Afghan refugees and possibly destabilize both Afghanistan and the wider region.

Source: AP