Islamabad:
Since the status of over a million Afghan citizens who have proof of registration (por) cards hanging in the balance after the expiry of their residence limit last month, refugees are concerned about financial losses due to possible disposal of their assets in a hurry that they built in the last five decades.
Although there is slow implementation of the illegal foreigner -re -enrated plan, refugees are concerned that they may be forced to sell their valuable assets at throwing prices if the validity of their cards is not further expanded.
Due to security and financial considerations, the Pakistani authorities decided to repatriate all illegal foreign immigrants in November 2023. Pakistan has so far repatriated approx. 1.3 million Afghans, and there are still about 1.6 million, according to the data prepared by a UN unit.
These include over a million refugees who have a Pack card, but these documents expired on June 30, 2025. The government is considering two options, either providing a temporary expansion or offers these CORK map holders a long-term visa, according to officials dealing with the subject.
So far, some decision has been made to extend the Por cards, but the government is working on a new visa policy for foreigners, said Chaudhry Talal, the prime minister of interior while talking to Express Pakinomist.
The case for giving an expansion had also been discussed in the federal cabinet, but no decision was made.
Talal said the new visump policy would provide incentives for foreign investment in Pakistan, and the Afghan citizens can also benefit from it.
In addition to borders, an initiative of the Center for Research and Security Studies has worked for the solution of the Afghan refugees’ questions. It is in favor of a permanent solution to the problem so that the refugees who came to Pakistan after 1979 are not forced to sell their assets at reduced prices, and these people can also positively contribute to the local economy.
Only Dostokhail Tribe people have approximately RS52 billion in assets in Peshawar in the form of moving and real estate in other people’s names, said Ahmad Shah, a trader from the tribe. The prosperous Afghans should not be deported as it is mutually advantageous for them as well as for Pakistan, said Ahmad Shah.
Shah claimed they are not allowed to own assets and cannot open bank accounts. But the central banking authorities said thousands of por card holders had bank accounts.
Shah said his tribe also contributed over RS14 billion or $ 51 million in foreign transfers last year. These transfers are sent by the tribal members working in Europe, Canada and the United States, he added.
“Our family does not have a criminal listing, and we are dealers who do business in black tea, tires and batteries,” said Ahmad Shah.
“My children are born in Pakistan and they don’t want to return to Afghanistan,” said Shah, who is concerned about selling his Benami assets at throwing prices if the government finally decides to repatriate all Afghan refugees.
“We are dealers because we do not have a permanent residence status and do not legally invest in Pakistan,” said Mohammad Bakhtiar, another member of the Dostokhail tribe.
For Pakistani authorities, however, $ 51 million in transfers is not much compared to the costs they believe the Pakistani economy paid due to the presence of Afghan refugees. The costs are in the form of the role of Afghan refugees in illegal trade in currency and smuggling of goods in accordance with the Afghan transit trading agreement.
In the last fiscal year, Pakistan received a record $ 38.2 billion in foreign transfers that helped place a $ 2.1 billion profit surplus. But there are questions about the sustainability of these transfers because of the federal government’s decision to freeze subsidies for transfers. It has also reduced the benefits of foreign transfers, but a decision remains pending on who would take the bill.
Construction of currency reserves is the responsibility of the central track, and it should thus be financing of the scheme, Financial Secretary Imdadullah Bosal National Assembly Standing Finance Committee said this week.
Bosal said the federal government had no means to continue the Pakistan transfer initiative initiative. The secretary said the Ministry of Finance was working with the central bank to find a solution as no money is stored in the new budget.
“Unlike the RS89 billion budgeted allocation in the last financial year, the Ministry of Finance received almost RS200 billion requirements from the central bank … That’s a pretty significant part,” Bosal said.
He said one of the possibilities was that the central bank should deduct costs beforehand from the profits it transfers to the federal government. However, the challenge is that it will still be treated as part of the primary expenses.
After several rounds of background discussions, beyond bounds, the streamlining of visa processes for traders with Afghan origin and assigned to residence has been recommended, enabling them to invest in Pakistan.
