Pakistan rejects Afghan plea for delaying deportations

Pakistan has turned down a request by the Afghan Taliban to grant an extension in the stay of Afghan refugees. Kabul has been conveyed in clear terms that Islamabad will stick to its plan for deporting all illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from April 1.

In a major policy decision, Pakistan on March 7 announced that ACC holders had until March 31 to leave the country or face deportation. There are around 800,000 ACC holders in Pakistan but after March 31 they will be treated as illegal aliens.

Reports were doing rounds that Pakistan was planning to evict all Afghans from the country but this was for the first time the Ministry of Interior officially confirmed the development.

"Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) has been implemented since 1 November 2023. In continuation to the Government's decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders," read the official handout of the ministry issued on March 7.

"All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before 31 March 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence wef [with effect from] 1 April 2025," the statement added.

Pakistan said sufficient time had already been granted for a dignified return of Afghan migrants. Following issuance of this deadline, the Taliban government approached Pakistan through diplomatic channels with a request not to deport their nationals and give them more time.

Official sources told The Express Tribune on Sunday that the Pakistani decision was final and there would be no relaxation. Sources said relevant authorities and all the four provinces have been given instructions to make appropriate arrangements for the return of Afghan refugees.

Over 8,00,000 Afghans living in Pakistan illegally have been repatriated to their country since Pakistan launched the campaign in November 2023. Pakistan, however, had spared those who were registered with the UNHCR or had the ACC.

There are around 3 million Afghans still residing in Pakistan. The Afghan government recently raised concerns about forced deportation of their nationals and alleged that mistreatment was being meted out to them.

Pakistan, however, denied those charges and asked the Afghan Taliban government to create an environment in the country to encourage the dignified return of their countrymen.

The move will aggravate the already tense ties between the two countries.

Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan for the surge in terrorist attacks on its soil. Pakistan said Afghan nationals were increasingly involved in recent terrorist attacks.

Initial investigations showed that Afghan nationals were also behind the recent terrorist attack targeting the Bannu Cantonment. Also, there were exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkham border crossing which has been closed since February 21.

Islamabad has blamed the Afghan side for the closure of the key border crossing. The dispute arose over a new check post the Afghan side was constructing on the Pakistan territory. Sources said deportation of Afghans would take place also through the Torkham border.