KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Amnesty International has called on the Pakistani government to renew the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghans and end the ongoing refugee crackdown.
PoR cards, which offer temporary legal protection, were issued in 2006 by the Pakistani government with support from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to at least 1.4 million Afghan refugees.
In a statement posted on X on Friday, Amnesty said the cards are set to expire on June 30 and urged Pakistan authorities to extend their validity, as they have done in previous years.
The rights group warned that deporting Afghans to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan could expose them to serious abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and gender-based persecution.
Amnesty said Pakistan’s crackdown violates international law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to countries where they may face danger.
“Amnesty International’s Urgent Action calls on the Pakistani authorities to urgently renew the validity of PoR cards and formally withdraw the ‘Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan’ to stop all forced returns to Afghanistan,” the group said.
The Pakistani government launched its repatriation plan in October 2023, initially targeting undocumented Afghans. In April, the campaign expanded to include Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders — a separate government-issued document held by at least 800,000 people.
So far, at least 1.3 million Afghans have reportedly been forced to return under the plan.
In its next phase, Pakistani authorities aim to deport PoR cardholders once the documents expire at the end of June. Officials have said the cards will not be renewed and have advised holders to leave or face forced deportation.
The UN and several rights organizations have repeatedly urged Pakistan to halt the deportations, citing deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan. Around 23 million people — mostly women and children — rely on humanitarian aid, and restrictions on women’s rights remain severe under Taliban rule.
Rights organizations have also raised concerns over the risks facing returnees, especially former officials, journalists, and activists, who may face threats, detention, or abuse by the Taliban.
