Afghans among 140,000 leaving Pakistan as deadline set to expire

WEBDESK, Reuters: More than 140,000 undocumented immigrants, predominantly Afghan nationals, have returned to their Taliban-ruled homeland, Pakistani officials announced on Wednesday. This decision comes at a pivotal moment in Pak-Afghan relations, just hours before the conclusion of a deadline to expel those residing in Pakistan without documentation.

Pakistan has recently signaled a shift in its policy towards Afghan refugees, emphasizing the importance of legal documentation. The government had declared in October its intention to initiate the expulsion of all undocumented immigrants, which includes hundreds of thousands of Afghans, some of whom hold the Afghan citizen card.

A senior official from the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan, reported that approximately 104,000 Afghan nationals had departed through the primary Torkham border crossing in the past two weeks. Nasir Khan, the deputy commissioner of the region, noted, “Some of them have been residing in Pakistan for over 30 years without any proof of registration or the Afghan citizen card.”

While some have also exited through the Chaman border crossing in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the exact number remains unclear. However, Pakistan’s interior ministry has estimated a higher figure, stating that 140,322 individuals who had been living illegally have now departed.

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Starting November 1, Pakistan has launched a process to detain and deport any foreigners found without legal documentation, although they continue to encourage voluntary return. Among the more than 4 million Afghans residing in Pakistan, the government’s data suggests that about 1.7 million are undocumented, contributing to the ongoing discussions about the total Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

Many Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan due to the continuous internal conflicts in Afghanistan since the late 1970s. The recent U.S. withdrawal in 2021 and the subsequent Taliban takeover triggered yet another wave of migration.

However, Pakistan has adopted a strict stance, attributing various issues such as militant attacks, smuggling, and other crimes to Afghan nationals, leading to strains in Pak-Afghan relations. Kabul, on the other hand, has refuted these allegations. Several rights groups have voiced their concerns, urging Pakistan to rethink its decision on this matter.