Pakistan’s government is accelerating efforts to deport all Afghan refugees nationwide, according to a scathing statement from Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad. The embassy revealed Wednesday that Afghan nationals face systematic arrests, property searches, and forced relocations despite no formal deportation orders. “Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a definitive plan to expel all Afghan refugees,” the embassy stated, condemning the “unilateral decision” lacking diplomatic coordination.
Over 1.45 million Afghans remain registered as refugees under UNHCR, with 824,568 forcibly returning to Afghanistan since 2023 alone. Islamabad insists only undocumented migrants face expulsion, but advocates report widespread harassment.
“The short timeframe and lack of transparency undermine humanitarian principles,”stressed the embassy, referencing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s March 31 deadline for pending resettlement cases.
U.S. policy shifts compound the crisis. Over 20,000 Afghans approved for American visas now await decisions after President Trump paused refugee programs. Ahmad Shah of an Afghan advocacy group warned:
“Relocating refugees from Islamabad isolates them from Western embassies. This jeopardizes their resettlement pathways.”
Key developments shaping the crisis:
- 13% surge in January deportations from Islamabad/Rawalpindi (IOM data)
- Pakistan collaborating with Western nations to fast-track resettlement
- UNHCR registrations extended until 2025, yet arrests continue
Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan insisted the refugee situation “cannot be indefinite”, though critics argue deportations violate international norms. With humanitarian groups sidelined, thousands remain trapped in legal limbo as bilateral tensions rise.
