Afghans
ISLAMABAD: A decision by US President Donald Trump’s administration to halt visa processing for refugees has sparked uncertainty and despair among Afghan refugees in Pakistan, many of whom have been waiting for years to be resettled in the United States.
At an English tutoring academy in Islamabad, where Afghan refugees prepare for life in the US, the news caused shockwaves, leaving students in tears and teachers grappling with how to provide hope.
Sayed Hasibullah, a 20-year-old teacher at the school, is among those affected, as his own resettlement application is still in progress. He described the moment the news broke as devastating. “We have been waiting for almost three years, and there is no hope anymore,” he said.
The school, which has about 300 students, serves as one of the few educational spaces available for Afghan refugees, who are barred from legally working or attending formal schools in Pakistan.
The announcement has upended the lives of refugees who fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan and have already undergone extensive vetting for resettlement. Among the students was a 16-year-old girl who broke down in tears, struggling to focus on her English lessons. Denied education in Afghanistan, she had hoped to resume her studies in the US, where she planned to enroll in high school.
Fatima, a 57-year-old women’s rights advocate and former development worker for US-funded organizations, expressed her sense of betrayal. Having trusted the US after years of working alongside them in Afghanistan, she now fears for her family’s future.
Fatima’s two daughters, aged 15 and 22, are also affected—one hopes to return to high school, while the other dreams of completing her engineering degree. “You supported us and raised us up. Now, after inviting us to a third country for processing, you’re doing this,” Fatima said.
The situation is further complicated by Pakistan’s economic and security challenges. Many Afghan refugees were directed to travel to third countries, such as Pakistan, for visa processing.
However, Pakistan’s decision in 2023 to deport tens of thousands of Afghan refugees has added to the crisis, leaving many feeling stranded. Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac, revealed that 10,000 to 15,000 Afghans in Pakistan are awaiting US special immigration visas or refugee resettlement.
Nearly 1,660 Afghans, including family members of active-duty US military personnel, had their resettlement plans disrupted, with flights canceled under the Trump-era order. Some, like Fatima, had even received emails from US authorities seeking documents for their travel arrangements, only to find themselves in limbo.
Amid the confusion, students and teachers have reached out to UN agencies and the US embassy for clarity, but answers remain scarce. Whatsapp groups are flooded with shared updates, but no definitive solutions have emerged.
The US embassy and State Department have not provided a clear response on whether the new policy impacts Afghans awaiting resettlement in Pakistan.
For refugees like Hasibullah, the sense of betrayal is profound. “We have been living here for three years with the hope of going to America to be safe. Now, when President Donald Trump tells us our cases will not be processed or delayed, you feel betrayed,” he said. “We helped you, and now we expect your help in return.”
