ISLAMABAD — More than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in April alone, according to the interior ministry, as Islamabad pushes forward with a sweeping deportation campaign targeting undocumented migrants and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards.
The latest phase of the repatriation effort began on March 31, intensifying scenes of Afghan families crossing into their homeland through the Torkham and Chaman borders. Many have lived in Pakistan for decades and are now returning to a country grappling with deep humanitarian and economic crises.
Interior ministry officials confirmed that 100,529 Afghans had departed since the start of April. This follows Pakistan’s 2023 move to expel all undocumented foreigners, which has now expanded to include over 800,000 Afghans with expired or cancelled residency documents.
The deportation drive, which analysts view as a pressure tactic against the Taliban-led Afghan government amid rising border tensions, has sparked concern among human rights groups. The UNHCR reported over 12,900 arrests and detentions of Afghans in Pakistan in April — exceeding the total number for all of last year.
Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Hasan Akhund has condemned the “unilateral” actions and urged Islamabad to ensure a “dignified return” for refugees.
More than half of those being deported are children, the UNHCR said, many of whom now face an uncertain future in a country where women and girls are barred from higher education and many forms of employment.
Pakistan has justified the deportations on national security grounds, citing Afghan nationals’ alleged involvement in cross-border terrorism — claims the Taliban denies. Public sentiment in Pakistan has also shifted, with some locals expressing frustration over job competition and economic strain.
Despite growing international concern, Pakistan’s second-phase repatriation campaign remains underway, with a deadline set for the end of April for those still awaiting relocation abroad.
