ISLAMABAD: The federal government will repatriate registered Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
A notification from the Prime Minister’s House confirmed the relocation by March 31. This is the first phase of a broader repatriation plan. Officials assured that Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders will not face forced eviction.
Pakistan currently hosts 2 million Afghan refugees, including 1.3 million PoR cardholders and 700,000 Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. The government has extended PoR holders’ stay until June.
On Monday, Pakistan decided to deport thousands of Afghan nationals if the US and Western countries do not relocate them as promised for resettlement abroad by the end of March.
The individuals in question took refuge in Pakistan after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, primarily seeking shelter from potential retribution due to their affiliations with the U.S. and NATO forces.
As per reports, around 80,000 Afghans have so far been “taken by various countries for resettlement, and around 40,000 are still in Pakistan. They reportedly include an estimated 15,000 Afghans to be approved for resettlement in the U.S.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with international organizations and embassies to manage the process.
In Balochistan’s Qilla Abdullah district, authorities arrested seven former Afghan forces personnel for alleged terror activities. Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Riaz Khan confirmed the arrests after a Levies tip-off. Officials also suspect the detainees of involvement in theft and robbery.
In a separate case, authorities detained nine Afghan citizens for attempting to travel to Japan and the United States using fake medical visas. Immigration officials linked this fraud to the suspension of Pakistani visit visas for Afghan nationals.
