The deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants from Pakistan is set to begin today, Tuesday, 1 April, according to a report by Geo News, which cited sources within the Interior Ministry of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
This development comes amid conflicting reports in recent days. The Associated Press, citing official documents, had reported that the arrests and deportations were postponed until 10 April due to the Eid al-Fitr holidays. However, Geo News claims the deportation process is proceeding as originally scheduled.
According to the report, on 26 March, Pakistan’s federal government also asked the provincial authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit updated information on Afghan students as part of its broader effort to strengthen the database of foreign nationals residing in the country.
The Pakistani government had given undocumented Afghan migrants and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) until 31 March to leave the country voluntarily. Officials have now warned that forced deportations of both groups will begin today.
The decision to proceed with deportations comes despite ongoing uncertainty and contradictory statements from various government bodies. On Monday, Dawn newspaper reported that the police chief of Rawalpindi had issued orders for the expulsion of undocumented Afghan nationals. Meanwhile, the Associated Press continued to report that the deportation deadline had been delayed until after Eid.
Pakistan has announced plans to deport up to three million Afghan nationals in 2024. Since September 2023, nearly one million have already been expelled.
According to data from the UNHCR, there are currently 1.52 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan, around 800,000 of whom hold ACCs. In addition to these, thousands of undocumented Afghan nationals remain in the country.
The government has stated that both undocumented migrants and ACC holders will be removed in this phase of deportations. Furthermore, Pakistani authorities have declared that Afghan refugees with UN-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will also face deportation after 30 June 2025.
The mass deportation campaign has drawn strong criticism from the Taliban, the United Nations, human rights organisations, and refugee advocacy groups. It remains unclear whether Pakistan will fully implement the deportation plans or extend the deadline once again.
