KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The International Crisis Group (ICG) has urged the European Union (EU) to press Pakistan to stop deporting Afghan refugees, warning that many of them face serious risks under Taliban rule.
In a report released on Thursday, the Brussels-based independent think tank said Pakistan should at least refrain from deporting individuals at risk of persecution—particularly women and girls, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The ICG also called on EU member states to push Pakistan to extend the legal status of registered Afghan refugees, including those holding UN-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, for at least another year. These cards are due to expire on June 30, 2025.
The group also said Pakistan should stop detaining and deporting Afghan refugees whose asylum claims and resettlement applications with EU countries have been processed but who have not yet been relocated.
Meanwhile, the Crisis Group urged European governments to accelerate the resettlement process—particularly for Afghan women and girls who face severe restrictions under Taliban rule.
It also urged the EU to increase humanitarian support for Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan, as well as for returnees inside Afghanistan.
Since the 1980s, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan due to the Soviet invasion and subsequent Afghan civil war. Thousands more entered the country following the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in 2021, which resulted in the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power.
In late 2023, Pakistan began a mass deportation campaign, expelling thousands of Afghans daily. Pakistani authorities say that since then, at least 1.3 million individuals have been expelled.
Initially, the campaign targeted undocumented Afghans but has recently expanded to include those holding temporary UN and Pakistan-issued documents, such as PoR and Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC). Officials now aim to deport more than two million Afghans holding these cards.
After the Taliban takeover, some Afghans purchased expensive Pakistani visas, which cost between $300 and $1,200 for stays of three to six months. However, recent reports indicate that Pakistan is unwilling to extend these visas, putting many legal entrants at risk of deportation.
Human rights groups and UN agencies have repeatedly urged Pakistan to halt the deportations due to the worsening situation in Afghanistan. Nearly 23 million people, mostly women and children, rely on humanitarian aid, and women’s rights remain severely restricted under the Taliban.
Rights groups have also raised concerns that returnees, especially former officials, journalists, and activists, face threats of retaliation, detention, or abuse by the Taliban.
