The suspension of Afghan refugee resettlement to the United States, coupled with Pakistan’s impending deportation deadline, has placed former Afghan Air Force pilots in a deeply precarious position.
Once allies of the US military, these individuals now find themselves stranded, fearing violent retribution if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Shawn Vandiver, head of AfghanEvac—a group advocating for the resettlement of Afghan refugees—told CNN: “These pilots risked everything for America. Their lives are now on the line because of our failure to follow through on our promises.”
Tauheed Khan (a pseudonym), an Afghan pilot currently residing in Pakistan with his family, described the harrowing uncertainty they face. After two years of navigating the US refugee admissions process, he was finally invited for an interview at the US Embassy in April last year. Since then, he has received no further communication.
“I fear I will be killed if sent back to Afghanistan,” he said, citing Taliban hostility toward former military personnel.
Restrictive immigration policies in both Washington and Islamabad have further worsened the plight of Afghan refugees. With Pakistan's deportation deadline looming, these pilots—already at risk—are running out of time to secure safe passage elsewhere.
Many fear being recognised by local communities or informants, which could lead to Taliban targeting. “Eight to ten” of Khan’s fellow pilots were assassinated in targeted attacks, he recalled.
Another former officer, Khapalwak (a pseudonym), aged 37, served as an aviation engineer in the Afghan Air Force’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance division. He was responsible for clearing civilian areas before US drone operations—a role that made him a Taliban target. Before the fall of Kabul, he was forced to change locations every “three to four months” to stay alive.
Now selling wood on the roadside in Pakistan, Khapalwak fears the Taliban’s influence extends beyond Afghan borders. “I know they have contacts here. They could target me if they wanted. I just want to get out of here so my daughters can be educated,” he told CNN.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied that pilots are in danger, stating: “We don’t have any problem with them. The pilots who want to return to Afghanistan are needed because they are an asset to the country and important military personnel.” He also claimed that some former pilots are already serving under Taliban command.
In the past two months, US immigration policy under Donald Trump’s administration has become increasingly unpredictable and restrictive, casting further doubt over the fate of pilots like Khan and Khapalwak.
Meanwhile, since October 2023, Pakistan has escalated its campaign to expel Afghan refugees. In February, Pakistani authorities announced that even Afghans awaiting resettlement in third countries would be deported by 31 March—a date that coincides with the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
For many, the mood is not celebratory but one of desperation. Jawad Ahmad, a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot, summed up the anguish:
“We don’t have options in Pakistan. What can we do? Please, for the love of God, get us out of here. We don’t have a life; we are choking with fear.”
