Pakistan Delays Afghan Deportation Deadline Due To Eid Holidays

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 2: Pakistan has delayed its deadline to deport hundreds of thousands of Afghans due to the upcoming Eidul Fitr holidays, The Express Tribune reported, citing a government official.

The original deadline for Afghans with specific documentation to leave Pakistan was March 31. However, due to the holiday period, the new deadline has been extended until early next week.

Who Will Be Affected?

Pakistan’s deportation drive targets different categories of Afghan refugees:

1. Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) Holders
   • Issued by Pakistani authorities.
   • Around 800,000 Afghans hold these cards, according to the United Nations.
   • Will be deported after the new deadline expires.
2. Proof of Registration (PoR) Card Holders
   • Issued by the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency).
   • Over 1.3 million Afghans hold these cards.
   • Will be moved outside Islamabad and Rawalpindi, instead of deportation (for now).

Human Rights Concerns Over Forced Deportation

Human rights groups and advocates strongly oppose Pakistan’s deportation plan.

• Pakistani human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar warned that many Afghan refugees have lived in Pakistan for decades and have nothing to return to in Afghanistan.
  • “Many have been living in the country for years, and going back means going back to nothing,” she said.
• Amnesty International urged Pakistan to revoke its “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan”, which disproportionately targets Afghan refugees.
  • Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, criticized the move:
    • “The Pakistani government is making a scapegoat of a disenfranchised community fleeing persecution.”
  • Amnesty accused Pakistan of violating international human rights law, especially the principle of non-refoulement (protection from being sent back to danger).

Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

The Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship has been tense since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

• Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring terrorist groups that conduct cross-border attacks.
• Taliban denies these allegations but insists that Afghans should be repatriated with dignity.
  • Hassan Akhund, a top Taliban leader, stated:
    • “Instead of forced deportation, Afghans should be supported and provided with facilities for their voluntary return.”

Mass Deportation Since 2023

• More than 800,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan between September 2023 and March 2024 due to Pakistan’s crackdown.
• The March 31 deadline was expected to trigger another wave of deportations, but the Eid extension provides temporary relief.

What’s Next?

• The new deadline will expire early next week.
• The UN and human rights groups continue to pressure Pakistan to halt deportations.
• Pakistan’s security concerns vs. humanitarian obligations will shape its final decision on Afghan refugees.

The situation remains tense, with thousands of Afghans facing an uncertain future.