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Pakistan has extended the deadline for deportation of millions of Afghan refugees to September 1, authorities said on Wednesday as the UN welcomed the decision but expressed concern over the forced interests.
Afghans have fled to Pakistan for the past 40 years to escape the wars, political instability and economic hardships in their homeland.
An estimated 1.4 million people are currently registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency and have proof of residence cards (PORs) issued by the Pakistani authorities. This was the initial deadline for voluntary repatriation since June 30th, drawing criticism from rights groups.
Refugees will be allowed to voluntarily return to their home country for a 25-day “period of bounty” from August 4 to 31, said Latef-ur-Rehman, a spokesman for the Department of Home and Tribal Affairs.
He added that Islamabad has approved a new deadline this week, but that they could then face arrest and expulsion.
Islamabad is also targeting an additional 800,000 with Afghanistan citizen cards.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) welcomed the extension decision, but warned that deportation could violate non-refumement international principles.
Kaiser Khan Afridi, spokesman for Pakistan’s UNHCR, said the agency continues to seek “an extension of the effectiveness of the POR card.”
According to a June report from UNHCR, at least 1.2 million Afghan nationals have been forced so far this year to return to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan.
Such a massive repatriation could destabilize the vulnerable situation in Afghanistan, when the Taliban government came to power in 2021, the agency said.
A government notice on July 31 confirmed Pakistan’s decision to deport all Afghan nationals who hold expired POR cards.
It states that Afghans without valid passports and Pakistani visas are illegally located in the country and must return to their homeland under local immigration law.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans live in refugee camps, but many others are fully integrated into their families, businesses and communities, and continue to hide in order to avoid arrest.
Rights groups have expressed concern that their arrests and deportation will wreak havoc in their lives.
Lehman, a spokesman for the ministry, said local governments are planning to engage with Afghan community leaders to encourage voluntary repatriation and shut down refugee camps, but no dates have been decided.
The updated deportation drive targets foreigners living illegally in Pakistan following the nationwide crackdown that began in 2023.
Additional sources •AP