ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has ramped up its efforts to expel foreign nationals residing in the country without legal status, with undocumented Afghans at the center of the renewed campaign.
Officials confirmed on Saturday that authorities across Pakistan have been instructed to arrest and deport Afghan citizens whose legal stay has expired.
The Ministry of Interior announced that Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which had previously allowed temporary residence for Afghan nationals, expired on June 30. Any Afghan individual remaining in the country under this documentation is now considered to be unlawfully present.
Enforcement of Section 14B of the Foreigners Act is being prioritized to facilitate the repatriation process.
“After June 30, the PoR cards no longer hold legal validity. Individuals relying on these are now subject to removal,” said a ministry spokesperson. Relevant authorities, including law enforcement, district officials, and prison administrations, have received explicit orders to act accordingly.
This action is part of an ongoing deportation initiative that originally began in 2023 and resumed in April 2025. At that time, the government rescinded hundreds of thousands of temporary permits previously issued to Afghan refugees. Those who failed to return voluntarily were told they would face forced removal.
In Balochistan, local authorities confirmed that the renewed phase of the campaign is already operational. “We’ve been instructed to proceed with the repatriation drive, ensuring the process is carried out with dignity and order,” stated Mehar Ullah, a senior official in Quetta.
At the busy Chaman border crossing linking Balochistan to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, border personnel reported that thousands—between 4,000 and 5,000—are waiting to cross. Afghan officials, including Abdul Latif Hakimi, who oversees refugee registration in Kandahar, noted a noticeable increase in returning citizens. “We’re seeing a rise in arrivals back into Afghanistan,” he said.
Since the initial crackdown began in 2023, over a million Afghan nationals have returned from Pakistan. This includes more than 200,000 who have left since April 2025 alone. The deportation measures are largely directed at around 800,000 Afghans who were living in Pakistan under temporary arrangements, many of whom have lived in the country for decades or were born there.
Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan over the past 40 years due to various conflicts, from the Soviet invasion to the civil war, and most recently following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Islamabad maintains that the crackdown is a necessary step for national security and immigration control. The government cites mounting security threats—especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan—and economic pressures as key reasons for the policy. In 2024, Pakistan witnessed its deadliest year for terrorist violence in a decade, with officials claiming Afghan nationals have been involved in several incidents.
However, human rights organizations have criticized the mass deportations, expressing concern over reports of coercion and lack of safeguards for returnees. The government has dismissed these claims, asserting that the policy is being implemented within legal frameworks and with respect for human dignity.
