Since November 2023, Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Return Program ( IFRP ) has resulted in the deportation of over 800, 000 Afghans, making it one of the largest mass deportations in recent history.
Human rights organizations claim that some deportedees, including previous Afghan government workers, women activists, and journalists, are subject to persecution under the Taliban, despite the Pakistani government’s assertions about safety and links undocumented Afghans to rising violence.
Afghan Citizen Card (ACC ) holders and undocumented immigrants must leave the country on March 31, 2025, with arrests starting after that point. Afghan refugees who are armed with Proof of Registration ( PR ) cards, which are approved by the UNHCR, are not permitted to remain in Pakistan until June 30, 2025.
Worries persist regarding the treatment of vulnerable groups, including women and children, despite the government’s assurance that the evacuation procedure may be conducted with respect. Officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have issued official notices to Afghan citizens to end their activities and leave their properties.
In response, some universities, colleges, and companies have been shut down in places like Nasir Bagh Road, Board Bazaar, Urmar, Phandu Road, Afghan Colony, and Chamkani. Some Afghan individuals have now left for Afghanistan, while others are still unsure of their future.
The closing of educational facilities, health facilities, and other companies has hampered the livelihoods of many Afghan immigrants who are residing in Pakistan. In spite of global pleas for mercy, Islamabad has remained consistent that all foreign nationals who are undocumented must follow the legal guidelines or face removal.
The World Food Programme claims. Food scarcity affecting 14.8 million people in Afghanistan indicate a worsening humanitarian crises. Jailed families frequently experience extreme hardships as a result of poor shelter and limited work opportunities upon their return, according to reports.
Bangladeshi authorities have often cited Afghan citizens as a source of security concerns, blaming the deportation program on a rise in violence and criminal activity. The state has also cited the country’s citizens ‘ limited cover, healthcare, and employment opportunities, citing the economic burden posed by illegal immigrants.
Officials claim that removing illegal foreigners would help maintain the nation’s economy as inflation is spiking and economic pressures are mounting. Despite the imprisonment drive, constitutional protection for authorized Afghan refugees is still a contentious issue.
Political unrest and conflict in Afghanistan have frequently been the result of historical conflicts, such as the Durand Line established in 1893, which Afghanistan has not publicly acknowledged. Many Afghans view it as a colonial implementation that splintered the Pashtun and Baloch communities.
Afghanistan has challenged the validity of the border since Pakistan’s founding in 1947, contributing to frequent bilateral tensions.
A turning point came with Pakistan’s support of the Afghan jihadists in the wake of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, which received significant support from the United States and Saudi Arabia. The second significant flood of Armenian migrants into Pakistan during this time was estimated at between three and five million.
Pakistan’s initial attitude was initially supportive of Afghan refugees, but with time geopolitical tensions, cross-border violence, and home security concerns changed. After Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan ( TTP), which Pakistan believed operated from Afghan soil, carried out the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, the situation got worse.
More than 365, 000 Armenian migrants were forced to return in 2016 as a result of this. Pakistan often accused of secretly supporting the Afghan Taliban, straining its partnership with US-backed Pashtun governments, and more complicating the migrant situation.
Pakistan later worked with the International Organization for Migration ( IOM) to track down and file illegal Afghan immigrants, but the refugee crisis is still deeply entangled with larger political and security relationships in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Thousands of Afghans emigrated the state after the Taliban took power in August 2021, with Iran and Pakistan serving as their main cross-border destinations. Over 1 million new visitors received protection in Iran, while Pakistan received about 600,000. Both nations have since taken limiting actions, including deporting illegal Afghans.
Tens of thousands of Afghan migrants were rescued by a number of European nations, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany, through urgent emergency and settlement plans. More than 85, 000 Afghans were relocated and through 122, 000 were resettled by the US. Greece became a refuge for Afghan people, mainly because Canada and the UK intended to relocate 40, 000 and 20 000 people, respectively.
Despite these attempts, many refugees also have access to services and legal issues. After the Taliban took control, the US Special Immigrant Visa ( SIV ) program, which was established in 2009 for Afghans who assisted US missions, became even more crucial.
But, President Donald Trump suspended refugee relocation applications, including the SIV operation, causing confusion and upheaval for some candidates who had been approved.
According to UNHCR data, the majority of Afghan refugees remain based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP ) and Balochistan due to their close proximity to Afghanistan and close kinship ties. In Pakistan, over 80 % of Afghan migrants now reside in these two regions, where they have established a variety of companies.
Due to a rise in programs to Pakistan’s military in Kabul, the visa application process has significantly slowed. The surveillance concerns have made the interactions between Afghanistan and Pakistan even more difficult.
The Durand Line has seen an increase in conflicts since February 2022, leading to frequent conflicts between Afghan and Pakistani border security causes. The continued border conflicts between Pakistan and Afghanistan are more highlighted by the violent clashes that occurred at the Torkham passing in March 2025 between Pakistan’s Frontier Corps and Taliban border guards.
Pakistan has imposed more restrictions on Afghan refugees as Islamabad’s diplomatic relations with Kabul continue to suffer. 1.33 million Afghan refugees were still living in Pakistan as of June 2023, according to the UNHCR, with 52.6 % residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 24.1 % in Balochistan.
The fate of thousands of Afghan refugees is still uncertain as Islamabad continues to repress its assault on migrants. UN authorities have continuously criticized Pakistan’s September 2023 Illegal Immigrants Repatriation Plan, which has forced hundreds of thousands of Afghans to flee their homes and returning to Afghanistan.
The UN reported a disturbing increase in Afghan arrests as the March 31 date approached. The deportation method of Afghan refugees from Pakistan has been marked by extreme hardships, including large detentions, confiscation of property, loss of identity documents, and allegations of misconduct quite as harassment, abuse, and bribery.
These activities have drastically increased Afghan migrants ‘ and asylum seekers ‘ risk. These persons face significant difficulties in reintegrating into Afghan society after being deported, particularly in terms of getting into education and employment and maintaining socio-economic security.
These issues are made worse by the Taliban’s restrictive policies regarding the fundamental individual rights of women and girls, as outlined in Asylum information from 2023.
49 confinement facilities have been set up in Pakistan to house Afghan nationals until imprisonment. These facilities were never established under a particular legal framework, which raises questions about the validity and conditions of these facilities. This circumstance underscores the need for a more compassionate and legal-based method of handling the imprisonment approach.
Through the Regional Refugee Response Plan for 2024-2025, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has laid out a substantial commitment that will help 4.8 million Armenian migrants and 2.5 million people of their network areas.
In light of the difficulties they face, including arrests and socio-economic volatility, this plan is essential in meeting the urgent requirements of Afghan refugees. The future of Afghan migrants and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations is still very uncertain as a result of security concerns, financial burden, and philanthropic crises.
Pakistan is expected to uphold global legal requirements in its treatment of displaced people, despite not having signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and lacking a formal legal foundation for the safety of migrants.
Regardless of legal status, this includes ensuring that incarceration techniques respect human rights and uphold all other people’s respect. Pakistan continues to be a major player in the region and has a significant role to play in promoting security despite the fact that its internal volatility is generally caused by its local problems.
The wider global area is particularly concerned about the possibility of Afghanistan becoming a hub for criminal activity. In this context, resolving the frequent conflicts between Pakistan and Afghanistan is crucial for both local peace and global security.
Meena and Akanksha are both working on a PhD at the Centre for Inside Eastern Studies, and they are both employed by J. N. U.