Pakistan will start repatriating illegal Afghan refugees on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, after the March 31 voluntary return deadline passed.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Home Department sources confirm the process begins today, despite Taliban pleas for an extension. Last week, the federal government stood firm, rejecting delays and requesting Afghan student data from KP by March 27 to update security records.
Islamabad has linked the increase in terrorist attacks to groups operating in Afghanistan. According to Radio Pakistan, 878,972 undocumented Afghans have already returned to their country. Additionally, Pakistan is currently hosting 2.1 million documented Afghans, which include 1.3 million with Proof of Registration Cards and 800,000 with ACC cards, primarily located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as reported by UNHCR representative Qasier Afridi.
🔴 Report Illegal Afghans: Deadline Has Passed, Deportation Underway
Holding centers have been established for Afghan refugees, and their total number is 3.385 million. In the first phase, 885,000 have already been sent to Afghanistan. In the second phase, 850,000 will be sent,… pic.twitter.com/lUS9k2TZUc
— Defence Pakistan (@Defence_PK99) April 1, 2025Amnesty Slams “Opaque” Plan
Amnesty International has criticized Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan as “opaque,” warning it worsens Afghan struggles. Many of the 2.1 million Afghans in Pakistan, some born here, face upheaval. Peshawar, home to the largest Afghan population, sees thousands in business and jobs, now bracing for departure. In 2023, a similar October 31 deadline saw mass returns via Torkham, with camps in Chamkani and Nowshera aiding voluntary exits.
Read: Govt Asks Afghan Citizen Card Holders to Leave by March 31
Hosting Afghans for 50 years, Pakistan now pushes back amid security woes. With the deadline gone, undocumented Afghans and ACC holders must leave, stirring concern during Ramadan. Special camps stand ready, but the move tests a fragile balance of safety and humanity.
