ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided not to extend the March 31 deadline for the repatriation of illegal Afghan nationals from Pakistan.
During a meeting at the Interior Ministry, officials reaffirmed their commitment to strictly enforcing the deadline, rejecting previous requests from the Afghan government to allow Afghan nationals illegally residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stay longer.
Additionally, the federal government has directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities to submit records of Afghan students by March 27. This data will be used to update the Foreign National Security Cell’s dashboard, which tracks foreign nationals in the country.
The crackdown on illegal immigrants aligns with Pakistan’s broader efforts to enhance security, as authorities have repeatedly blamed terrorist attacks on groups operating from Afghan territory.
According to Radio Pakistan, 878,972 undocumented Afghans have returned to their country so far.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has criticized Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, calling it “opaque” and urging Islamabad to reconsider the mass deportation, warning that the March 31 deadline would worsen the plight of Afghan refugees.
