Pakistan Orders Afghan Migrants in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to Leave

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a statement on Saturday (February 1) confirming their awareness of this order. The decision was made following a meeting of Pakistani officials on January 29.

Under the new directive, refugees holding ACC cards must immediately leave the capital regions of Islamabad (ICT) and Rawalpindi and return to Afghanistan. Holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards are also required to vacate these areas but are permitted to remain in other parts of Pakistan until June 30, 2025. Even refugees whose cases for resettlement in third countries are under review must leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.

UNHCR has warned that failure to comply with this order may result in detention and forced deportation to Afghanistan. The international body has described this move as "regrettable" and has called for an immediate explanation from the Pakistani government.

According to Pakistan’s Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CCAR), approximately 2.9 million Afghan citizens are present in Pakistan, with 1.4 million registered and 700,000 undocumented. Earlier reports indicated that 1.45 million migrants hold PoR cards, valid until June 2025. These cards serve as vital identification documents for registered refugees.

It is worth noting that Pakistan began a wave of deportations of Afghan nationals in late 2023. During the first phase (November 2023), over 500,000 undocumented migrants were deported. The second phase, focusing on the deportation of ACC cardholders, began in April 2024. Recent reports indicate widespread detentions and deportations, including women and underage children, by Pakistani police.