Pakistan Orders Afghan Migrants to Leave by March 31

Pakistan has ordered all documented Afghan migrants to leave the country by March 31, 2025, or face deportation, in a move that affects nearly 900,000 Afghan nationals. The directive follows Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to repatriate undocumented migrants under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program, launched in October 2023 after an uptick in violence attributed to militants operating from Afghanistan.

The Afghan Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation Affairs had urged Pakistan to slow the expulsion process, but the Pakistani government pushed forward with its deadline. The Ministry of Interior issued a statement on Friday confirming that deportation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders would begin on April 1.

“This decision is part of our broader efforts to repatriate all illegal foreigners. Those holding Afghan Citizen Cards are advised to leave voluntarily by March 31, 2025,” the statement read.

The expulsion comes amid growing security concerns, with Pakistan blaming Afghan nationals for aiding militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP, one of the fastest-growing terrorist groups in 2024, has been linked to recent deadly attacks on Pakistani soil. A deadly twin suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 4, which killed 18 people, including five soldiers, was allegedly orchestrated from Afghanistan, further exacerbating tensions between the two countries.

Pakistan ranks second globally for terrorism-related fatalities, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index. In response, the Pakistani government has vowed to continue its security crackdown, which includes the expulsion of both undocumented migrants and ACC holders.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that over 842,000 Afghan nationals have already left Pakistan since the start of the repatriation program, with more than 40,000 deported in recent months. This number includes both refugees and migrants with legal documentation, reflecting the growing pressure on Afghan nationals in Pakistan.

Since January 2025, the UNHCR has recorded a significant rise in arrests and detentions of Afghan nationals. More than 2,600 individuals were arrested across the country in the first two months of the year, many of them undocumented or ACC holders. Nearly 1,200 of these arrests occurred in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani government had previously issued a separate directive in late 2024 to remove all Afghan migrants from the capital region by the end of the year.

Rights groups, such as the Joint Action Committee for Refugees, have expressed concern over the treatment of Afghan nationals, alleging that authorities have violated court orders that prohibit the harassment of refugees. They also called attention to the rising number of arrests, including a recent incident in which more than 200 Afghans were reportedly detained in the capital and surrounding areas.

While the Pakistani government has assured that repatriations will be carried out without mistreatment, with provisions for food and healthcare for returning migrants, the tense situation remains compounded by border closures. Torkham, the busiest crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been closed due to recent cross-border shelling, further complicating the repatriation process.

As the deadline approaches, the situation remains uncertain for the large population of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, with tensions between both governments running high.