KABUL – Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has announced that Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will face forced repatriation starting September 1 if they do not return voluntarily
In a formal notification issued Tuesday, the government said that while the voluntary repatriation of PoR cardholders is to begin immediately, compulsory returns will be enforced from the beginning of September.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting, citing “rising security concerns” and “pressure on national resources” as justification, according to The Express Tribune.
The move is part of an expanding crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which began in October 2023 with the mass deportation of undocumented Afghan nationals.
Human rights organizations and the UN have warned that the policy puts thousands of vulnerable individuals, including women, children, and those at risk of persecution by the Taliban, at serious risk.
PoR cards, issued with support from the UNHCR, officially recognize over 1.3 million Afghans in Pakistan as refugees. These individuals were previously protected from deportation and had limited access to services.
The Interior Ministry also confirmed that the repatriation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, another category of refugees with temporary registration, will continue under an earlier framework.
To operationalize the plan, the government has tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with the Taliban in Kabul, the UNHCR, and other stakeholders.
Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has been assigned to de-register returning refugees at border terminals, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will provide support at official crossing points. Provincial authorities have been ordered to map and identify all PoR cardholders within their jurisdictions.
Afghan refugees now face mounting uncertainty, with many reporting harassment, arrests, and evictions across Pakistan in recent months. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have urged Islamabad to halt deportations and uphold international refugee protection norms.
The UNHCR has repeatedly called for Pakistan to exempt Afghans with international protection needs from deportation, warning that many returnees face threats, discrimination, and lack of access to basic services under Taliban rule.
