11 Jul. 24: Pakistan announced on Wednesday that 1.45 million Afghan refugees will be allowed to remain in the country for another year, even as it continues to enforce the eviction of undocumented migrants. The decision comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions with Kabul over security concerns.
Since last year, over 600,000 Afghans have been compelled to leave Pakistan following Islamabad’s directive for undocumented migrants to either depart or face arrest. Human rights organizations have raised alarms, noting that many of those sent back to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan received minimal support and some faced persecution.
The Pakistani government confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet approved an extension for Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, valid until June 2025. These cards had expired at the end of June, leaving their holders uncertain about their legal status in Pakistan.
Despite the extension, not all Afghan residents possess these registration cards. Many, even those with valid documentation, have reported harassment and pressure to leave the country.
The announcement followed a visit by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, who had expressed gratitude for the suspension of Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.” However, Pakistani Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch contradicted this, asserting that the repatriation plan is still in effect and being implemented systematically.
At the Torkham border crossing, a key transit point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, immigration officials have started confiscating documents from departing Afghans, including refugee registration cards. This measure aims to ensure permanent departure, though re-entry is allowed if a visa is obtained.
The influx of millions of Afghans into Pakistan over the years, driven by ongoing conflict, has strained Islamabad. An estimated 600,000 Afghans arrived since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Pakistan cites security concerns and economic challenges as justification for its eviction scheme, with analysts suggesting it is also a strategy to pressure Kabul over increasing militant attacks in border regions.
This decision marks a complex phase in the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with significant implications for the displaced Afghan population and regional stability.
