Pakistan’s deadline for illegal Afghan migrants to depart voluntarily from the country expired yesterday. The Pakistani government declared that after April 15 of this year, those migrants who do not leave voluntarily will face forced deportation. The Pakistani government plans to repatriate approximately one million individuals, including ACC residency cardholders, to Afghanistan. However, thousands of asylum seekers who fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan are gravely worried about potential retaliation if forcibly expelled. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of migrant children enrolled in schools in Pakistan confront an uncertain future.
The new Pakistani government recently announced the commencement of the second phase of migrant expulsion on April 15, 2024. The first phase was initiated on November 1, 2023, and lasted until January 13, 2024, resulting in the forced deportation of approximately 520,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
Quoting Raffat Khan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Pakistani media reported that the decision to repatriate migrants is definitive, and the country’s police will begin forced deportations after the deadline lapses. The Ministry of Interior spokesman affirmed, “All arrangements for repatriation have been finalized, including voluntary return and the expulsion of undocumented refugees.”
Express Tribune, a Pakistani media outlet, reported that two centers in Peshawar and the Landi Kotal area have been prepared for the collection and transportation of Afghan migrants with residency cards via the Torkham border crossing, with transportation, accommodation, and food provided for returnees.
Meanwhile, Qaiser Khan Afridi, the spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), stated, “While we understand Pakistan’s right to enforce its laws, we have asked this government to consider the difficult conditions of Afghan refugees, and we are in discussions with the Pakistani government to address the challenges facing Afghan migrants.”
Following the announcement by the Pakistani government, anxiety and fear among Afghan refugees in Pakistan have increased. They are deeply concerned about encountering the police’s forced return. These refugees assert that with the declaration of this situation, the likelihood of exploitation and extortion by Pakistani police is rising.
One Afghan refugee residing in the city of Quetta, Pakistan, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, said that the process of forced expulsion of migrants has begun in this city. He added, “Police officers in civilian clothes visited migrant homes four months ago and wrote marks on their doors. They haven’t come to the houses yet, but in the market, I witnessed an increase in police vehicles, stopping people and taking their biometrics. They were putting people into vehicles, and I don’t know where they were taking them.”
Allauddin (pseudonym), one of the journalists who went to Pakistan after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, described the situation for migrants as very dire, with them living in constant fear of detention and forced expulsion. This journalist, in exile, added, “The situation here is very harsh for migrants, and they are at risk of detention and forced expulsion at any moment. The worst part is that they consider no distinction and harass everyone. This action increases the likelihood of police corruption and exploitation of migrants. When forced deportation started for the first time, people handed over all their belongings to the police to escape forced expulsion, but there was no solution. They have exploited the migrant workers to the fullest extent. Every day, when they run out of money, they go to migrant homes in search of money.”
Muzdha (pseudonym), one of the resident protesting girls in Pakistan, says that the announcement of the expulsion of over a million migrants has put her in a difficult situation. She emphasizes that if forcibly expelled, she will be detained by the Taliban. This protesting girl adds, “Since the announcement of forced expulsion, we haven’t had a day without worrying about our life. We are trembling with fear day and night. Our stress and mental pressure have increased. We have no way back, nor do we see any progress in our cases. We are bewildered about what to do, and if we are expelled, what bitter and bleak fate awaits us.”
On the flip side, some former soldiers who fled to Pakistan out of fear of Taliban retaliation following the collapse of the previous government express deep despair, fearing they will be captured by the Taliban if their plight remains unaddressed. One such former soldier, opting to remain anonymous, reveals the severity of his predicament, unable to envision a brighter future. He laments, “Where do I begin with life’s hardships? I’ve endured dire circumstances for two years, struggling to articulate my ordeal. My children are unable to attend school, and my movements are restricted. Financially, I’m destitute. Now, the looming threat of expulsion terrifies me. If deported, I’ll be apprehended upon crossing the Torkham border—no need to reach Kabul.”
These refugees are worried about the second phase of forced expulsion by the Pakistani government, with some families saying their children are traumatized by fear of the police. One family living in Islamabad told the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “Our daughter asks every moment if the police are coming. Do we have visas? Imagine a three-year-old worrying about visas and the police.”
However, some human rights activists in Pakistan have called for an end to this process. They have stated that those forced to flee the Taliban’s oppression are now at risk of forced expulsion. According to them, forcing individuals, especially women, to return to environments where basic human rights such as education, employment, and freedom of movement are at risk violates humanitarian principles and international laws.
Media reports have indicated that hundreds of thousands have sought refuge in Pakistan following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Nearly three years after the government’s collapse, many are still in limbo, including nearly 20,000 Afghans awaiting promised visas to the United States.
In addition to targeting journalists, civil activists, and human rights defenders, the Taliban are searching for individuals who have worked with US and NATO forces in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.
In November of last year, the United States sent letters of protection to holders of P1 and P2 visa cases, but these letters lacked credibility to the Pakistani police, and the holders were expelled to Afghanistan. Western embassies and the UNHCR have engaged in extensive discussions with Pakistani authorities to prevent the expulsion of individuals subjected to Taliban harassment and persecution, but a practical solution to the dilemma has yet to be found.
It is worth mentioning that in 2017, the Pakistani government, in collaboration with the previous government of Afghanistan, introduced the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC). These cards were distributed to those who, for any reason, could not obtain the Proof of Registration (POR) cards.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stated that by 2022, approximately 840,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan have received ACC cards.