Pakistan has postponed the deportation deadline for hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals due to the Eidul Fitr holidays, which mark the end of Ramadan. Originally set for March 31, the deadline for Afghans with specific documentation to leave the country has now been extended until the beginning of next week. This delay aims to accommodate the holiday period, a government official confirmed on Tuesday.
The deportation affects Afghan citizens holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), which are held by around 800,000 individuals according to the United Nations. Once the new deadline expires, these individuals will face deportation. Additionally, over 1.3 million Afghans with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, issued by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), will be relocated outside of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, two major cities in Pakistan.
With nearly three million Afghans currently residing in Pakistan, many sought refuge there after years of conflict in Afghanistan, with numbers surging after the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021. Human rights organizations have strongly criticized the deportation campaign. Pakistani human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar expressed concern about the uncertain future of Afghan refugees who have lived in Pakistan for years. She emphasized that returning to Afghanistan would leave them with nothing.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have become increasingly tense since the Taliban’s return to power. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militants, a claim the Taliban government denies. In March, Pakistani officials met with Afghan representatives in Kabul, urging closer security cooperation between the two nations.
The Taliban has repeatedly called for the “dignified” return of Afghan refugees, urging host countries to avoid forced deportations and to provide support for voluntary returns. Since Pakistan issued an ultimatum in 2023 for undocumented Afghans to leave, more than 800,000 refugees have returned to Afghanistan between September 2023 and March 2024, according to UN data.
