Pakistan Expels Afghan Refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi

The Pakistani government has ordered Afghan refugees with valid residency documents to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi by February 28 and move to Peshawar. Meanwhile, those without legal documents will be deported to Afghanistan via Torkham.

Details of the Pakistani Government’s Decision

Amir Maqam, Pakistan’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Borders, announced that Afghan refugees with valid residency documents must leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi and relocate to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. However, those without legal documents will be expelled from the country.

This decision affects thousands of Afghan refugees, many of whom are waiting for resettlement in Western countries, particularly the United States.

Pakistan Accelerates the Expulsion of Afghan Refugees

Previously, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated in an interview with Turkey’s TRT television:
“If the U.S. does not accept the resettlement of these Afghans or delays the processing of their cases, Pakistan will consider them illegal and deport them to Afghanistan.”

The Situation of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

Since the start of Pakistan’s policy of deporting illegal refugees, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have been expelled from the country. Many of them have been sent back to Afghanistan under difficult conditions, while others are still awaiting acceptance by third countries.

Human rights organizations and international bodies have urged Pakistan to ensure that the deportation of refugees is carried out with respect for humanitarian principles.