Deadline for illegal Afghan immigrants to leave Pakistan expires today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the country or face deportation expires today, Tuesday, as thousands of Afghan nationals pack up and head for Afghanistan via the Chaman and Torkham borders.

Pakistan, reeling from an economic crisis and a deteriorating law and order situation that has made its officials wary of the presence of Afghan nationals in the country, asked all illegal immigrants to leave voluntarily before Nov. 1 or face deportation.

Pakistan is home to over millions of Afghan migrants and refugees, of which about 1.7 million are undocumented, officials say. Afghans make up the largest portion of migrants of whom many came after the Taliban retook Kabul in August 2021. A large number have been present since the 1979 Soviet invasion.

“Repatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their country is continuing and today is the last day for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country,” the state-run Radio Pakistan said.

“The repatriation of Afghans is inevitable for sustainable peace of both countries and the region.”

Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti reiterated on Sunday that the government was not targeting only Afghan nationals, adding that all undocumented foreigners would be expelled from Pakistan after Nov. 1.

However, he also said Islamabad has evidence that Afghans in the country were involved in organized crime, particularly in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. He said Pakistan has evidence that of the 24 suicide bombings that have taken place in the country since January this year, 14 were conducted by Afghans.

Pakistan’s decision has further strained its ties with Afghanistan, with Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid describing it as “unacceptable” earlier this month and urging Islamabad to reconsider its decision.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also urged Pakistan on Oct. 27 to review its decision to expel Afghan immigrants, particularly those who fled Afghanistan after August 2021, saying that many of them are at “grave risk of human rights violations” upon their return to their country.

Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson said in response that Islamabad’s decision is an exercise of the country’s sovereign domestic laws, and is compliant with international norms and principles.

“The Government of Pakistan takes its commitments toward protection and safety needs of those in vulnerable situations with utmost seriousness,” the spokesperson said.