Pakistan said on Wednesday that some 1.45 million Afghan refugees with legal documents will be allowed to stay in the country for another year, but the expulsion of illegal immigrants will continue.
More than 600,000 Afghans have been displaced since last year. Pakistan Due to security concerns and the resulting deterioration of relations with Afghanistan, he was ordered to leave the country or risk arrest.
Human rights groups say those being returned to Taliban-controlled areas Afghanistan They receive little support from the new government and are persecuted.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet extended the stay of legally resident Afghan refugees with registration certificates until June 2025. These cards expired last month, leaving holders uncertain about their right to stay in Pakistan. Despite having these cards, many Afghan refugees report facing harassment and pressure to leave the country.
The announcement came after a visit by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who praised the suspension of the “programme for the repatriation of illegal aliens,” but a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said the programme remained in effect and denied any suspension.
Meanwhile, Pakistani immigration officials at the Torkham border said they were confiscating documents from Afghanistan’s people to prevent them from returning without a visa.
Millions of Afghans have fled to Pakistan for years amid ongoing conflict, with around 600,000 arriving since the Taliban took power in August 2021. Islamabad has justified the eviction plans citing security concerns and economic challenges, and analysts have suggested it is trying to pressure Kabul over rising attacks in Pakistani border areas.
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