Pakistani authorities have resumed the forced deportation of Afghan migrants after deciding not to extend residency deadlines, a move that affects an estimated 1.4 million Afghans holding expired Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
Officials announced on Monday that the deportations had restarted, drawing sharp criticism from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which warned the mass returns could worsen instability in Afghanistan.
In addition to PoR card holders, around 800,000 Afghans with Afghan Citizen Cards are also at risk. Pakistani police say these individuals are residing in the country “illegally” and are being detained in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh.
According to a government notice dated 31 July and obtained by the Associated Press, Afghan nationals without valid passports and Pakistani visas must leave the country under Pakistan’s immigration laws. The statement confirmed the Pakistani government’s decision to deport all Afghans with expired PoR documentation.
Two Pakistani government and security officials told the AP that police across the country have begun detaining Afghan nationals and transferring them to border crossings. Officers have reportedly been ordered to conduct door-to-door searches to identify and arrest undocumented migrants.
Shakeel Khan, commissioner for Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said that Afghan migrants living illegally in Pakistan are being returned to their country with respect. He added that the operation marks a major step in enforcing the federal government’s directive.
Rahmatullah, a 35-year-old Afghan, said his family settled in Peshawar decades ago but is now preparing to return.
He said that he has five children and is worried they’ll miss out on education, adding that he and his children were born in Pakistan, but they have to leave the country.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans for more than four decades, many of whom fled war, political turmoil, and economic hardship. The current wave of expulsions follows a nationwide crackdown launched in 2023 targeting foreign nationals without legal residence.
UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi expressed deep concern over the renewed deportations. In a statement, he described the forced returns as a violation of international obligations and urged Pakistan to adopt a more humane and measured approach.
