Islamabad, March 31 (IANS) Pakistan law enforcement agencies have been ordered to arrest and deport thousands of Afghan refugees as the government’s deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country ends on Monday, local media reported.
The authorities, particularly in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, ordered the prompt evacuation of all the Afghan refugees.
The Rawalpindi police chief has directed the superintendents of the Rawal, Potohar, and Saddar divisions to take legal action against Afghan nationals residing or working in the district, according to a report in Pakistan’s leading daily, Dawn.
“We have received directions that all Afghan nationals holding ACC cards must be expelled from Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” a police official told Dawn.
Additionally, the directives state that Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards who are residing in the twin cities have to leave Pakistan in line with the government policy.
The deadline set for PoR cardholders to leave the country is June 30, 2025.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative to Pakistan Philippa Candler on Sunday stated that the country’s decision to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees has “shaken” the Afghan community as their hopes and dreams have been shattered.
She urged the international community to take greater responsibility.
“Last week, I visited an Afghan family who had sought refuge here in 2022 after fleeing Afghanistan in a hurry, leaving behind everything they knew in search of peace and safety. It was heartbreaking to see how fearful they were to be forced to go back,” Candler stated.
“The latest directives from the Pakistani government represent a significant disruption to the fabric of many communities. Dislocation from communities that have welcomed them and a possible forced return to Afghanistan, when there has been little chance for planning on how to rebuild their lives there, are unlikely to be sustainable,” she added.
Recently, a number of refugees who have lived in Pakistan for over four decades once again appealed to the government to extend their stay.
Zabit Khan, an Afghan refugee who has lived in Islamabad for nearly forty years, says he has established a business over the years, and expulsion from Pakistan could seriously disrupt his life, reports Afghan media outlet TOLO news.
“Give us time because we cannot suddenly relocate our business. We’ve worked here for forty years or more and have built relationships with people. This will cause us problems,” said Khan.
Earlier, the US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch slammed Pakistan for the forced deportation of Afghan refugees.
“Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
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