The Afghan government has urged Pakistan to reconsider its decision to expel Afghan refugees, as Islamabad prepares to deport even those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) once the deadline expires on 31 March.
At a meeting of the High Commission for Refugee Affairs, chaired by Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, officials highlighted the need for a coordinated and mutual strategy for the return of Afghan refugees.
Afghan media outlet TOLOnews reported on Tuesday that Kabul is calling for a more humane approach to handling the issue.
“Our request to neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan, is to reconsider this decision. A unilateral decision is not in their interest, nor in ours,” said Abdulmutalib Haqqani, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.
Many Afghan refugees holding ACCs in Pakistan have expressed their frustration over increasing difficulties. Despite having legal documentation, they claim to be facing forced deportation. “Refugees holding ACC cards are not illegal.
They are Afghan refugees who have been living here for the past 25 years,” TOLOnews quoted Malik Awal Shinwari, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, as saying.
Pakistan has made it clear that all Afghan refugees, including those with valid documents, must leave before the 31 March deadline. Officials have warned that any illegal foreigner found within the country beyond the deadline will be detained and deported.
Earlier, the ruling party of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) strongly criticised the federal government’s refugee policy, calling it “inhumane and oppressive.” Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the decision and stated that his government would decide whether to comply with the Centre’s directives after the deadline passes.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa hosts the largest Afghan refugee population in Pakistan, with Peshawar accommodating the highest number. According to the United Nations, over 800,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan since Pakistan implemented its repatriation policy.
Many refugees have lived in the province for decades, running businesses or working in various sectors. Afghan refugees in KP have urged the Pakistani authorities to reconsider their stance and allow them to remain.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Afghan refugees in Pakistan are experiencing increasing harassment and abuse. Many have appealed to the Afghan government and international human rights organisations for intervention.
Refugees claim that despite holding valid documents, they are facing arbitrary arrests, illegal detention, and the constant threat of deportation. “Pakistani police have been conducting brutal raids, even in the middle of the night, storming homes and arresting Afghan refugees,” said an Afghan journalist.
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