Pakistan Announces Mass Deportation of Afghan Refugees
Islamabad, Pakistan — In a significant development, Pakistan has announced a mass deportation of “illegal immigrants” who have fled violence in neighboring Afghanistan. The caretaker Interior Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, declared a deadline of November 1 for those residing in the country illegally to leave, after which “all law enforcement agencies would deport them.”
According to the United Nations’ refugee agency, Pakistan currently hosts more than 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees and 427,000 people in “refugee-like situations” from Afghanistan. However, their presence in Pakistan has always been a source of controversy. Previous years have seen police crackdowns and threats of deportation. Volunteer groups report that hundreds of Afghans have already been deported from Pakistan this year, based on local records.
During a news conference, Bugti claimed that Afghan nationals were responsible for 14 out of the 24 major terrorist attacks that occurred in Pakistan this year. He asserted that “There are attacks on us from Afghanistan, and Afghan nationals are involved in those attacks. We have evidence present for that.”
Bugti emphasized that businesses and properties of “illegal aliens” would be confiscated, and illegal business operators and their facilitators would be prosecuted. Pakistani citizens or companies providing accommodation or facilities to illegal aliens would be subject to strict legal action.
The decision to initiate mass deportation was made by the National Apex Committee, which met earlier on Tuesday. Furthermore, a task force has been formed to target individuals with fake identity cards and illegal properties built on fake documents. The national database and registration body of the country have been instructed to cancel any fake identity cards and verify cases through DNA testing.
Pakistan is home to one of the largest refugee populations globally, with the majority originating from Afghanistan. The shared border and deep cultural ties between the two countries have linked their fates for years, with conflicts and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan spilling over into Pakistan.
The influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan began during the Soviet invasion in 1979, resulting in the world’s largest refugee crisis at that time. In 2021, another wave of refugees arrived after the Taliban regained control of Kabul, with many crossing the Pakistan border without complete paperwork while awaiting visas to third countries, including the United States.
Nonprofit organization Amnesty International expressed concern over the situation, stating that Afghans living in fear of persecution by the Taliban have sought refuge in Pakistan but have been subjected to arbitrary detentions, arrests, and the threat of deportation. The advocacy group Refugees International is particularly worried about the fate of Afghans who fled their country in fear of the Taliban.
While Pakistan’s decision to proceed with mass deportation has drawn international attention, refugee organizations and human rights groups are urging the country to continue its history of hosting Afghan refugees and provide them with necessary support and protection during this challenging time.