PESHAWAR – In a small, dimly lit house on the outskirts of Peshawar, Syed Agha sits on a worn-out rug, staring at the walls that have witnessed his entire life. At 65, he has lived in Pakistan for 45 years, longer than he ever lived in Afghanistan. Yet now, the country he once saw as his only home is telling him to leave. “I have no place to go,” he says, his voice trembling. “How can I start over in a country I barely know?”
As Pakistan pushes forward with its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (INRP), Afghan refugees — many of whom have spent decades in Pakistan — find themselves in an agonizing limbo. The government has set a March 31 deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave voluntarily or face forced deportation starting April 1. For some, like Agha, this means uprooting their lives in mere 21 days. For others, it is a question of survival.
A Crackdown on Undocumented Refugees
Pakistan has long been home to one of the world’s largest Afghan refugee populations, a reality shaped by decades of war, displacement, and economic hardship across the border. But over the past few years, authorities have ramped up efforts to expel those deemed “illegal” by the government.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, the repatriation program began on November 1, 2023, targeting those without legal status. Official figures indicate that as of March 6, 2025, more than 868,187 Afghan refugees have left Pakistan. The government insists that the process is being conducted with dignity. “Sufficient time has been given for a voluntary return,” the Interior Ministry spokesperson said, adding that the state has also arranged food and medical aid for departing refugees. But for many Afghans, the reality on the ground paints a different picture.
Reports of harassment, arbitrary detentions, and forced evictions have surfaced in several cities, particularly in Sindh province. Human rights activist and Afghan refugee lawyer Muneeza Kakar recently wrote on Facebook that documented Afghan refugees were also being targeted. “This is a clear violation of Pakistan’s own laws,” she said. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, refugee representative Fazal Mula described the situation as deeply distressing. “Refugee camps, businesses, and schools are all being dismantled. How can anyone rebuild their life in just a few days?” he asked.
Meanwhile, on March 6, a group of Afghan women living in Pakistan made a desperate plea, urging the government not to forcibly return them to Afghanistan. They warned that being sent back could put their lives in danger.
Security Concerns or Political Maneuvering?
Pakistan’s decision to expel Afghan refugees comes amid rising tensions over terrorism and security concerns. Pakistani authorities have linked Afghan nationals to an uptick in terrorist attacks, including the military cantonment attack in Bannu and the suicide bombing at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Nowshera, which killed 8 people, including Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq Haqqani. Security officials claim that investigations have revealed Afghan-based groups planning and executing these attacks inside Pakistan. Intelligence reports indicate that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operates from Afghanistan, where they receive financial and logistical support.
A United Nations Security Council report earlier this year stated that the TTP carried out over 600 attacks in Pakistan in 2024 alone. The same report noted that the Afghan Taliban provides the TTP with monthly funding and safe havens, with new militant training camps emerging in Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika provinces.”Pakistan cannot allow its land to become a battlefield,” a senior government official said. “The country has the right to take measures to protect its citizens.”
But critics argue that the forced deportations are also driven by political and economic factors. Some claim that Afghan refugees have been caught in the crossfire of Pakistan’s worsening economic crisis, while others accuse powerful political groups of using refugees as a scapegoat.
For decades, Afghan migrants were able to obtain Pakistani national identity cards and passports, often with political backing. But as the economy weakens and terrorism resurges, the government has shifted its stance.”Instead of fixing governance and strengthening counter-terrorism efforts, refugees are being blamed,” said a former security official.
The Role of Afghanistan and International Silence
The Afghan Taliban, which governs Afghanistan, has repeatedly condemned Pakistan’s actions. Despite claiming to uphold security and economic stability, the Taliban government has yet to make significant arrangements for the refugees returning from Pakistan.
International organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), have voiced concerns over the deportations. Qaiser Khan Afridi, the UNHCR spokesperson in Islamabad, told media on March 6 that the agency is still negotiating with Pakistani authorities to find a humanitarian solution. But so far, no country —including the United States, European nations, or regional powers like China and Russia — has stepped forward to address the unfolding crisis.
Meanwhile, Iran, which also hosts a significant Afghan refugee population, has begun its own deportations, forcing over 127,000 Afghans to return home. “This is not just Pakistan’s decision,” a Pakistani official noted. “Iran is doing the same thing, and yet, no one questions them.”
An Uncertain Tomorrow
As the March 31 deadline approaches, fear grips Afghan refugee communities across Pakistan.
In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, families who have lived for decades in Pakistan are packing their belongings, unsure of what awaits them across the border. Some have never even stepped foot in Afghanistan before. “We are not the Taliban,” Agha, the refugee from Peshawar, says. “We are just people who ran from war, trying to survive.”
But in the eyes of the state, survival is no longer a good enough reason to stay.
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