KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Amnesty International has reiterated its call on the Pakistani government to extend the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghans and halt the ongoing crackdown on refugees.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, the rights group highlighted that the PoR cards held by nearly 1.4 million Afghans expired on Monday, leaving them vulnerable to harassment, arbitrary arrest, and deportation.
Amnesty urged Pakistani authorities to cancel their deportation plans, saying such actions violate international human rights laws.
“Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to immediately extend the validity of PoR cards and call off its plans to deport Afghan refugees in line with Pakistan’s international human rights obligations,” the organization said.
The PoR system, launched in 2006 with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), provides temporary legal status to Afghan refugees. Although the program has been extended in previous years, officials now say that the cards will not be renewed and have advised holders to leave the country or face forced removal.
The deadline marks another phase in Pakistan’s efforts to remove Afghan refugees. Since October 2023, the country has deported more than 1.3 million Afghans in two phases, targeting those without valid documents as well as holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), a temporary ID issued by the Pakistani government.
Human rights organizations have consistently condemned Pakistan’s crackdown, citing reports of arbitrary arrests, harassment, and the expulsion of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and individuals associated with the former Afghan government.
A similar mass deportation campaign is ongoing in neighboring Iran, where thousands are being expelled daily. According to UN agencies, over 230,000 Afghans were expelled from Iran in June, with more than half returning in the final week of that month.
