Pakistan Prepares Plan To Expel Undocumented Afghan Refugees As Deadline Approaches

The Pakistani government set a deadline for undocumented migrants, including those with identification cards, to leave by March 31. Afghan refugees now have only nine days left to depart.

Reports from Pakistani media indicate that in Sindh, preparations for the second phase of expulsion are finalized. Starting April 1, undocumented Afghan migrants will be expelled from the province.

Pakistani authorities previously offered Afghan refugees a voluntary return window from February 15 to March 31. Sindh's security and strategic plan for deportation is designed with guidance from the federal government and the Ministry of Interior.

Sources report that committees have been established at the district and sub-district levels across Sindh, and refugee holding centers are set up to facilitate the deportation process.

Pakistan's justification for expelling Afghan migrants includes allegations of their involvement in attacks on Pakistani military forces. Tensions between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban are escalating, influencing the decision.

International organizations have urged Pakistan to reconsider its stance on the deportation of Afghan refugees. However, Pakistan has stated it is no longer able to accommodate Afghan migrants.

Currently, nearly three million Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan, with about one million fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control. Many refugees are awaiting Western visa approval, but efforts to evacuate Afghan allies under the Trump administration have stalled.

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