Thousands of Afghans who sought safety in Pakistan after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover now face a perilous future as Islamabad intensifies its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan. The crackdown — revived in late 2023 — has led to mass detentions, deportations, and closures of Afghan-run businesses, prompting condemnation from human rights groups.
Mass Deportations and Crackdown
- Over 144,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan in April 2024 alone — 30,000 forcibly deported.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered enforcement in major cities including Islamabad and Karachi.
- Police raids are detaining Afghan families and sending them to deportation centers.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called the policy forced repatriation — a violation of international law — particularly as it impacts vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and at-risk workers.
Women and Girls Face Unique Risks
Afghan girls born and raised in Pakistan are being sent to a country where the Taliban has banned female education.
- Elsa Imdad Hussain of the Centre for Research and Security Studies urged Pakistan to pass a human and gender-centric refugee law, but no action has been taken.
Dire Conditions Await in Afghanistan
Returning families face:
- Economic collapse
- Climate disasters
- Humanitarian emergencies
Many end up in tent settlements with minimal support from Taliban authorities.
Political Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan
- Afghan officials accuse Pakistan of using refugees as leverage.
- Taliban Acting PM Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund has demanded an end to what he calls a “cruel attitude”.
- Pakistan insists on security concerns despite Taliban assurances that Afghan soil will not be used against Islamabad.
Legal Card Holders Also Targeted
Even Afghans with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards — valid until June — report arrests and harassment. Afghan-owned small businesses are shutting down, and unscrupulous Pakistani intermediaries are exploiting refugees leaving the country.
