- विज्ञापन -
Islamabad [Pakistan]: Since April, Pakistan has intensified its campaign to deport Afghan nationals, resulting in the return of over 200,000 Afghans, the Ministry of Interior reported, according to ARY News. Specifically, more than 135,000 Afghans left Pakistan in April, with the number decreasing to around 67,000 in May. In just the first two days of June, over 3,000 Afghans have been repatriated.
For decades, millions of Afghan refugees have stayed in Pakistan to escape ongoing conflicts, and since the Taliban regained power in 2021, hundreds of thousands more have crossed into Pakistan. Since the launch of the voluntary repatriation program in November 2023, over one million Afghans have returned to their homeland, the ministry stated.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently voiced concern over the rising number of Afghan families deported from Iran, noting that 15,675 crossings occurred in May—double the number from April. IOM warned that this surge could strain Afghanistan’s fragile reception and reintegration systems.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has directed Afghan Citizens Card (ACC) holders living in Pakistan to leave the country by March 31, 2025. Beginning April 1, 2025, mass deportations of ACC holders will resume as part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP), which started on November 1, 2023. The ministry assured that sufficient notice has been given for voluntary returns, and emphasized that no mistreatment will occur during the process. Arrangements have been made to provide food and healthcare to returnees to ensure a dignified repatriation.
In the first phase of this effort, over 800,000 Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan have already been repatriated. It is estimated that around three million Afghans still live in Pakistan.
