The government has repatriated about 1.3 million Afghan refugees in a deportation drive launched since November 2023, said parliamentary secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik Wednesday, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
The government initially said that it first focused on expeling foreigners without legal documentation and other categories, such as Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) – a document launched in 2017 to provide temporary legal status to Afghan refugees – would be included later.
In response to a question raised by legislator Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said about 3 million Afghan refugees were a resident of Pakistan. “Of these, 813,000 Afghan Citizen Card (ECC) has, while 1.3 million possesses proof of registration card (Por) card,” he was quoted as saying.
He emphasized that Afghan citizens who want to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education or business purposes are welcome to do so, provided they are given a Pakistani visa and have valid documentation with them.
Earlier this year, the country’s Ministry of the Interior asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before March 31 and warned that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. Authorities then began deporting thousands of Afghan citizens from all parts of the country.
In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.
