Pakistan's Bold Move: Over 1.3 Million Afghan Refugees Repatriated Since November 2023

Significant Repatriation of Afghan Refugees

Islamabad: The government of Pakistan has announced that around 1.3 million Afghan refugees have been sent back to their home country as part of a deportation initiative that began in November 2023.

This update was shared by Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik during a conversation with the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, as reported by a local newspaper.

Initially, the government aimed to prioritize the expulsion of undocumented foreigners, with plans to address other groups, including those holding the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) — a temporary legal status document introduced in 2017 — at a later stage.

Malik noted that approximately 3 million Afghan refugees currently reside in Pakistan.

Out of this number, 813,000 possess Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC), while 1.3 million have Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.

Reports suggest that a significant number of Afghans are living in Pakistan without any legal documentation.

Earlier this year, the interior ministry urged all undocumented foreigners and ACC holders to exit Pakistan by March 31, warning of deportation starting April 1. Following this, authorities began the process of deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from various regions.

Historically, Pakistan has provided refuge to millions of Afghans fleeing decades of conflict in their homeland.