Pakistan has categorically turned down the Afghan Taliban's appeal to delay the deadline for deportation of Afghan refugees, reiterating that it will go ahead with its strategy to deport all illegal Afghan citizens and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from April 1.
On March 7, the government of Pakistan made a significant policy announcement in which it said that all Afghan nationals who were in possession of ACCs had to depart from the country by March 31. Beyond this date, they would be deemed illegal residents and could be deported.
"The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP) has been operating since November 1, 2023. Continuing this program, the national leadership has now also decided to repatriate all ACC holders," said Pakistan's Ministry of Interior.
"All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are being asked to voluntarily depart from Pakistan by March 31, 2025. Deportation will start from April 1, 2025," the ministry's statement continued.
No Concessions for Afghan Nationals
This move jeopardizes the future of more than 800,000 ACC-holding Afghan nationals. Islamabad has turned down repeated requests from the Afghan Taliban in Kabul to suspend the deportation process.
Government sources affirmed that Pakistan has formally told the Afghan Taliban that its decision is irrevocable and would not be revisited. Governments in all provinces have been ordered to make proper arrangements for repatriating Afghan refugees.
Since starting its campaign of repatriating Afghans in November 2023, Pakistan has sent more than 800,000 Afghan nationals home. In November 2023, the government put the number of illegal foreigners living in the country at about 1.7 million, with the majority being Afghans.
Crackdown on Illegal Afghan Nationals
At the first stage of the crackdown, Pakistan deported only the Afghan nationals who were here illegally. The government has now decided to also begin deporting all ACC holders.
Around three million Afghan citizens are reported to be living in Pakistan according to official records. Islamabad maintains that deportations are required as the immigrants are illegally staying there. Moreover, Pakistan has constantly alleged that Afghanistan shelters anti-Pakistan militant outfits like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who are instilling violence and instability within the nation.
Recent attacks on security personnel in Pakistan have been attributed to Afghanistan. Investigations into the attack on Bannu cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province established the role of Afghan nationals.
Torkham Border Tensions
The Torkham border has been closed since February 21 after clashes between Afghan Taliban troops and Pakistani security officials over the building of a contentious Afghan check post.
In a Pakistani government report, "The Afghan Taliban intentionally started the controversy to provide a pretext for closing the Torkham border, as this is a major point from where Afghan deportations are being carried out."
Even as tensions continue to rise, Pakistan stands its ground, insisting that the repatriation of Afghan refugees will go ahead as scheduled, without any exceptions or postponements.
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