The federal government on Friday ordered the authorities not to take any action against Afghan refugees holding evidence of registration cards (por) while considering expanding the validity of the document, according to an official notification.
“The case regarding the extension in the validity of evidence of registration (POR) is considered by the federal government,” the announcement says, instructing all departments and agencies to abstain from “harassment or negative action” against registered Afghan refugees until a final decision is made.
Pakistan is home to over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who fled decades of conflict in Afghanistan. Of these, about 1.3 million por cards, while approx. 813,000 have Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), which was issued in 2017 to provide temporary status.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of the Interior ordered all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before March 31, warning of deportations from April 1. Authorities have since repatriated approx. 1.3 million Afghans during the ongoing deportation drive launched in November 2023.
However, the new Government Directive offers temporary postponement to POR card holders, in the midst of growing international concerns about the treatment of Afghan refugees.
“Of the nearly three million Afghan nationals of Pakistan, only a fraction has valid documentation,” parliamentary secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik told the parliamentary session. He said the government underwent documentation policies as part of a broader re -evaluation of refugee management.
Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for over four decades, but recent security and financial pressure has led to tighter border and immigration control.
