Pakistan’s second phase of deportation targets documented Afghans

3 mins read
April 17, 2024

Pakistan designated April 15 as the deadline for Afghan nationals to return to Afghanistan, or face forceful eviction. The decision puts vulnerable groups, such as women and journalists, in precarious positions as they risk persecution by the Taliban.

Afghanistan. Torkham crossing point (border with Pakistan). November 2023.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans face harsh return after expulsion from Pakistan | © UN Women Asia and the Pacific

The Pakistani government has begun its second phase of a nationwide crackdown on all illegal foreigners residing in the country, now unlawfully targeting those who hold valid legal documentation. The repatriation plan leaves several thousand Afghan nationals holding valid permits in Pakistan vulnerable to return to Taliban rule, in addition to the 1.7 million undocumented individuals. 

After over 500,000 Afghans were deported during the first phase of repatriation that began in November, the government is now targeting those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC).

Phase three is expected to deport those holding UNHCR-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, despite both groups being initially exempt from the repatriation plan.

Why is Pakistan deporting Afghan refugees?

Relations between the Pakistani government and Taliban authorities are under strain as border tensions and terrorist activities have drastically increased since the Islamic fundamentalist group came back to power in August 2021.

Pakistan experienced the highest number of terrorist incidents globally in 2023, with 490 attacks reported. This surge prompted the government to adopt a tougher policy with its neighbor.

Ignoring the recommendations from international organizations and warnings of further radicalization, Pakistan insists that its new deportation policy is necessary to put pressure on Kabul to end terrorist activities on its border.

This is not the first time that Pakistan has mounted a campaign to drive Afghans out of the country. In 2016, Human Rights Watch reported the “world’s largest unlawful mass forced return of refugees in recent times” when authorities expelled nearly 365,000 refugees.

A population no longer protected

PoR cards, an identity document issued to Afghan nationals in 2007 to secure their legal right to remain in Pakistan, expired on March 31, 2024. To assist more Afghans in acquiring legal documentation, the government of Pakistan granted ACC permits in 2017 and 2018, but no more have been issued since.

The Pakistani government estimates that there are 1.3 million Afghan refugees registered with PoR permits and 800,000 ACC holders, now at risk of being detained if they do not leave voluntarily.

Forced to flee, forced to return

The deportation order mandates the return of all “unregistered foreigners” remaining in the country as of November 1, 2023, to their homeland. But many of these refugees consider Pakistan to be their home, with their families having sought refuge there in the 1980s, and will face a multitude of challenges if uprooted back to Afghanistan.

As the “repatriation plan” enters its second phase, ACC holders are also being expelled from the country, despite not being illegal immigrants. The deportation of those holding valid legal documentation has been denounced as forced and unlawful by Amnesty International. The organization also reported a “complete lack of transparency, due process, and accountability” as well as an increase in “harassment and hostility” towards Afghans.

Human Rights Watch described the coercive environment for Afghan refugees in Pakistan since the implementation of the policy, reporting mass detentions, seized property, and the destruction of identity documents.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans are facing deplorable conditions to avoid arrest. According to Al Jazeera, humanitarian aid for the refugees fleeing the country is limited; they lack access to shelter, food, and water, and are denied even their own household belongings.

At the mercy of the Taliban

The Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on the freedom of women and girls and is the only country in the world to ban their education after sixth grade, a measure imposed in 2021. Girls who strived to complete their education in Pakistan are now facing the reality of being restricted from public spaces.

The policy also endangers journalists and those who aided Western states, as they are likely targets for the Taliban. Although the U.S. promised to re-settle roughly 20,000 at-risk Afghans after leaving in 2021, its lengthy settlement process has forced them to flee to Pakistan, and now left them susceptible to deportation.

A report by the World Bank states that half of the country’s population is already living in poverty and 15 million people face food insecurity. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Pakistan is expected to put more pressure on the country’s weak economy as Afghans compete for housing and jobs.

Afghanistan has already lost more than 700,000 jobs since 2021 and international organizations and the U.S. are facing dilemmas about providing aid due to sanctions on the Taliban’s restrictive government.

Claire Rhea

Claire is a journalist for Newsendip.

She grew up in London but is a dual citizen of the United States and France. She graduated from McGill University in Montréal, Canada, in political Science and economics. She also lived in Italy.