Pakistan Prepares Plan to Deport Illegal Afghan Migrants Following US Policy Shift
The Pakistani government has drafted a plan to deport illegal Afghan nationals residing in the country, following the changes in U.S. immigration policies regarding refugees. This move comes after 205 Afghan migrants were deported from Rawalpindi on Saturday.
According to media reports, the administration and police of Rawalpindi district conducted a joint operation, arresting 205 Afghan nationals who were living illegally in Pakistan. Reports also highlighted an incident where an Afghan detainee, who was arrested five days earlier, injured himself by hitting his head with an iron rod after being informed of his deportation.
The district administration has released 155 Afghan families and young individuals who held valid travel documents. A special facilitation center has been established at the Hajj Complex for further investigations of the detained Afghan nationals.
In response to the U.S. ending Afghan visas and withdrawing its promise of resettling Afghan refugees, Pakistan has set a deadline for the Afghan nationals in its country to leave. The Pakistani government has drafted a three-phase plan with U.S. foreign missions, urging them to cooperate in relocating Afghan citizens from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31, 2025.
The report states that if Afghan nationals are not removed by the deadline, they will be sent back to Afghanistan. The plan further includes Afghan nationals who were registered as refugees in Pakistan over a decade ago, even those holding Afghan citizen cards.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have warned that those forced to return may face retaliation from the Taliban, particularly ethnic and religious minorities, women, journalists, human rights activists, and people from the entertainment industry.
The draft plan emphasizes the need for countries sponsoring Afghan refugees to expedite the resettlement process or risk the deportation of those waiting in Pakistan. Currently, Pakistan hosts the largest refugee population in the world, with over 3 million Afghan refugees, including both registered and unregistered migrants. Many of these individuals fled following the Soviet invasion in the 1980s, the 9/11 attacks, and the Taliban’s return to power after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
This policy shift and deportation plan come as Pakistan seeks to address illegal migration while navigating complex diplomatic relations with the United States and international humanitarian organizations.
