Pakistan's government on Friday ordered the immediate and organized expulsion of all undocumented Afghan migrants following an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to Geo News, the decision was made during a high-level session attended by provincial ministers, army chief General Asim Munir, and senior federal officials.

Sharif instructed provincial governments, including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, to begin deportations immediately, applying the order without exception to holders of expired registration cards such as PoR and ACC, which lapse in March 2025.

“Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades under difficult circumstances, but the surge in terrorist attacks, including by the TTP, has compelled us to act,” Sharif said in a statement from his office.

He alleged that some attacks were organized from Afghanistan soil and said reports of Afghan migrants' involvement were“deeply concerning.” Sharif added that“the ball for a permanent ceasefire is now in Kabul's court; we are ready for talks if the Taliban accepts our conditions.”

Pakistani media described the directive as part of the ongoing“Illegal Migrant Repatriation Plan,” launched in October 2023, under which more than 813,000 Afghans have already been deported.

The move comes amid escalating tensions between Islamabad and Kabul following recent border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan territory that left dozens of civilians dead.

Analysts warn the mass expulsions could worsen the humanitarian crisis facing Afghan refugees and further strain Pakistan's already fragile relations with the Taliban government.

MENAFN17102025000228011069ID1110212439