The repatriation process for Afghan refugees who reside illegally in Pakistan will begin today as the deadline for voluntary return expired on March 31.
The government had also requested details of Afghan students in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa before March 27 to update the foreign national security cell board, which tracks foreigners in the country.
This policy of expelling illegal immigrants is part of the broader security efforts of Pakistan in response to the growing terrorist attacks, which Islamabad attributes to the groups that operate from the Afghan soil.
Until now, 878,972 Afghan refugees have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan, according to Radio Pakistan. However, the Amnesty International Human Rights Group has criticized Pakistan’s repatriation plan, describing it as “opaque” and expressing its concern that the deadline of March 31 would worsen the situation of refugees.
Pakistan currently houses 2.1 million documented Afghan refugees, and many others live in the country without legal documentation. Approximately 1.3 million of these refugees have received registration card tests, with more than half of them residing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Repatriation affects a large number of Afghans who have lived in Pakistan for decades, including many born in the country who have never lived in Afghanistan. Peshawar organizes the largest population of Afghan citizens, many of whom direct businesses and work in the city.
In 2023, a deadline for unregistered foreigners led to the return of many Afghan nationals, and similar volunteer camps have been established for those who returned now.
Earlier this month, the Taliban urged Pakistan and will implement a structured and gradual repatriation process for Afghan refugees, emphasizing the need to avoid forced deportations and recognize the challenges faced by returnees in Afghanistan.
