The Pakistani government has announced that the deadline for the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants, set for March 31, 2025, will not be altered. Senior officials of the country, chaired by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, met last Friday to discuss the plan for the forced deportation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. During the meeting, it was decided to warn Pakistani citizens against renting properties to illegal foreigners and to establish a committee to review a proposal by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for dialogue with the Taliban. Pakistani media, citing security officials, reported that the mass expulsion of ACC holders will conclude by March 31, and those who fail to leave Pakistan voluntarily will face forced deportation, with preparations already in place.
Amid ongoing pressure on Afghan migrants in Pakistan, Islamabad has decided to deport approximately one million migrants to Afghanistan. The government had previously warned all ACC holders to leave Pakistan voluntarily or face forced expulsion starting March 31 of this year. Recently, Pakistani media reported that all preparations for the forced deportation of refugees have been completed, and no changes have been made to Pakistan’s decision thus far.
Despite repeated requests from global human rights organizations to reconsider this decision, Pakistan is proceeding with the repatriation of Afghan migrants. A high-level meeting was held last Friday to review arrangements for the return of ACC holders after the March 31 deadline.
Pakistani media reported that the meeting, chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, informed all relevant authorities that arrangements for repatriating ACC holders to Afghanistan have been finalized and must be implemented. The meeting noted that detention centers have been established for Afghan citizens before their deportation, with food and sanitation facilities provided at these centers.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister stated that the federal government has coordinated with the provinces regarding the return of these migrants to Afghanistan. He instructed authorities to treat foreign nationals respectfully during the repatriation process. The meeting also highlighted that a door-to-door awareness campaign about returning to Afghanistan is underway, and the mapping of ACC holders has been completed.
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has stated that ACC holders will have temporary legal status during their stay in Pakistan. However, the federal government retains the authority to determine the validity period of these cards.
Imprisonment and Fines
The Dawn newspaper, quoting a government official, reported that a crackdown on ACC holders will begin nationwide after the deadline expires. According to the report, Pakistani citizens who rent properties to Afghan citizens illegally residing in the country will also face consequences.
Additionally, search operations to track illegal refugees are ongoing, and their biometric records are being officially maintained to prevent their future entry into Pakistan. It was further emphasized that Afghan citizens who have obtained identity and travel documents through fraud or forgery will have them revoked. The Pakistani government official told Dawn, “They [refugees involved in fraud] along with their facilitators will face imprisonment and fines.”
The Pakistani government stated that the repatriation of ACC holders is part of the second phase of a program to return illegal foreign nationals, which began in November 2023.
Furthermore, the federal government of Pakistan has decided to relocate Afghan nationals, including those holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), outside of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.
Simultaneously with the decision to forcibly deport refugees to Afghanistan, Pakistan has resolved to form a committee to evaluate a proposal by Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for dialogue with the Afghan Taliban regarding terrorism. Gandapur had requested the federal government to officially assign him the responsibility of negotiating with Afghanistan.
Response from Human Rights Organizations
The deportation plan has faced strong criticism from global human rights organizations. These groups have stated that the deadline has placed hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrant citizens in an increasingly vulnerable position.
Earlier this week, Amnesty International expressed regret over the treatment of Afghan migrants by Pakistani authorities, noting that thousands have faced harassment, unlawful detention, and forced expulsion. In a statement last Wednesday, the organization said, “The Pakistani government’s plans for the arbitrary and forced deportation of Afghan citizens, including refugees, only add to their suffering.”
The human rights organization described the March 31 deadline as “unyielding and cruel,” calling it indicative of “little regard for international human rights laws, particularly the principle of non-refoulement.”
However, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed claims of mistreatment of migrants as “baseless.” In a statement, the ministry said that Islamabad has hosted millions of Afghan migrants for decades—even with minimal international support—and has done so with respect and dignity.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
پایان مهلت دارندهگان کارت شهروندی افغانستان در پاکستان؛ اخراج اجباری آغاز میشود | روزنامه ۸صبح
