ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has issued a directive requiring all “illegal foreigners” and Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave the country by March 31, warning that deportations will commence on April 1 for those who fail to comply.
Islamabad has previously linked Afghan migrants to security concerns, blaming them for militant attacks and criminal activities.
“Pakistan has been a gracious host and continues to fulfill its commitments and obligations as a responsible state,” the ministry stated, emphasizing that all individuals must meet legal requirements to remain in the country.
The repatriation drive, launched in 2023, initially focused on undocumented foreigners, most of whom are Afghan nationals.
According to UN data, more than 800,000 Afghans in Pakistan hold an Afghan Citizen Card, while an estimated 1.3 million are formally registered with the government and possess separate proof of residence.
Since the repatriation drive began, over 800,000 Afghans have returned to their homeland, with Pakistan previously hosting approximately 2.8 million Afghan refugees who arrived over the past 40 years of conflict. Among them are tens of thousands awaiting resettlement in the United States and other Western nations following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
