Afghan Citizen Cards no longer prevent deportation from Pakistan

Key Takeaways

• Pakistan removed protection for Afghan Citizen Card holders, making them subject to immediate deportation from January 29, 2025.
• 80,000-100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan voluntarily or by force by April 2025, including many with legal documents.
• Proof of Registration cards still provide refugee protection officially, but their security is threatened and could change soon.

The Pakistani government has introduced a major change in how it treats Afghans living within its borders. For years, tens of thousands of Afghans in Pakistan 🇵🇰 have relied on legal papers, especially the Afghan Citizen Cards, to allow them to stay and avoid deportation. Now, these documents no longer provide protection, leaving many families in fear and confusion. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this is the first time Pakistan 🇵🇰 has openly targeted holders of these legal documents for removal. Let’s explore what this new policy means, why it matters, and how it affects people from Afghanistan 🇦🇫 and Pakistan 🇵🇰 alike.

Afghan Citizen Cards: No Longer a Shield

In 2017 and 2018, Pakistan 🇵🇰 rolled out the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) program. The aim was to record and offer a type of legal recognition to the hundreds of thousands of Afghans living in the country, many of whom had fled war and conflict in Afghanistan 🇦🇫. Under this plan, about 90,000 Afghans in Punjab province and around 840,000 across the country received an Afghan Citizen Card. These cards were supposed to help the holders stay in Pakistan 🇵🇰 without the risk of deportation, even though they didn’t provide refugee status or the right to many government services.

Before, Afghans carrying these cards—including people who had lived in Pakistan 🇵🇰 for years—felt protected. Now, in a shocking twist, the Pakistani government announced on January 29, 2025, that all ACC holders would face immediate deportation. This meant the Afghan Citizen Card, once a trusted form of legal protection, became useless overnight. It marked the first clear government policy calling for the removal of ACC holders, putting everyone with such a card at risk of being forced out—no matter their history or ties to the country.

Surge in Returns and Forced Removals

With the new rule in place, the reality on the ground changed quickly. By April 2025, between 80,000 and 100,000 Afghans had either left Pakistan 🇵🇰 voluntarily or were pushed out. The old line between “legal” and “illegal” Afghans—once marked by the Afghan Citizen Card—had disappeared. Stories shared by advocacy groups and global news organizations show that police and immigration officers are not just targeting those without papers, but are also detaining people holding legal documents.

Most troubling, human rights groups state, is that these removals often take place without warning. Many Afghans, even those with the correct papers, are picked up, held, and sent back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫 without a hearing or chance to defend their right to stay. This is known as a lack of due process. Such acts, especially when they put people at risk back home—such as women, human rights workers, and minority groups—are said to go against international agreements that Pakistan 🇵🇰 has signed.

What About Other Documents? Growing Risks for Registered Refugees

While the Afghan Citizen Card has lost its power to protect, many Afghans have relied on other documents, too. The most common is the Proof of Registration (PoR) card, given by the United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR). For years, PoR cards marked someone as a recognized refugee, meant to shield them from deportation and allow basic services in Pakistan 🇵🇰.

Yet, even for PoR holders, the situation is growing tense. Officially, PoR cards still count and should protect from immediate removal. However, government spokespeople made it clear that this could change soon. There are already plans to begin forcing out PoR cardholders once the process for ACC deportations winds down. In the meantime, many PoR holders are being pressured: some have been forcibly moved from large cities like Islamabad and Rawalpindi, disrupting communities and livelihoods that had been built over decades.

There are also troubling stories of PoR cardholders and even people with valid visas still being threatened or arrested by police. According to human rights campaigners, some are being told to “go back or face arrest.” In short, the sense of safety offered by any kind of legal paper in Pakistan 🇵🇰 is disappearing.

Why Is This Happening Now?

The backdrop to the new crackdown is a mix of local and global politics, economic strain, and long-standing social worries. Since 2021, when the Taliban took back control in Afghanistan 🇦🇫, even more Afghans have crossed the border into Pakistan 🇵🇰 seeking protection. At the same time, rising costs and political stress inside Pakistan 🇵🇰 have added to public complaints about foreigners, especially Afghans, being a burden. In November 2023, the government began large-scale deportations, and by the latest counts, more than 800,000 Afghans had gone back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫 — some by choice, many by force.

With such high numbers, local news and advocates warn the system is under strain. Police and immigration offices seem to be skipping legal steps meant to protect against mistakes or unfair removals. Rather than letting each person explain their case, some authorities are said to be detaining whole families randomly and sending them across the border within days.

What is Refoulement—and Why Are Groups Worried?

Human rights laws worldwide say a person fleeing danger in their own country should not be sent back if their life or freedom would be threatened—a rule called “non-refoulement.” This law is key to the safety of all refugees, and groups like Amnesty International and the United Nations stress that countries must respect it, even if those countries are not officially part of certain treaties.

Today, many Afghans forced to return face a mix of dangers, especially women journalists, those from religious minority groups, and anyone seen as supporting foreign groups or old Afghan governments. Human rights organizations have said publicly that the Pakistani government’s policy of mass deportations breaks its duty under this principle—not just for those without legal papers, but now for former Afghan Citizen Card holders, too.

The Afghan Citizen Cards: From Hope to Hardship

For many, getting an Afghan Citizen Card years ago meant hope. Though it did not allow for full legal status or refugee protection, the card was seen as something of a shield—a clear sign of acceptance by the Pakistani authorities. It allowed access to aid, basic registration, and at least some calm in daily life.

The fact that these cards now offer no safety for Afghans in Pakistan 🇵🇰 has caused anger, sadness, and deep worry among Afghan communities. Some cardholders say that they feel “betrayed” after years of trust. The change also damages the work done by humanitarian groups who helped register and monitor these populations, as keeping up-to-date records is now nearly impossible.

Table: Who is Now at Risk?

Here’s a simple look at how the status of legal papers has changed for Afghans in Pakistan 🇵🇰:

Daily Life Under Pressure

With these new rules, day-to-day life for Afghans in Pakistan 🇵🇰 has grown much harder. Those without any documents have always been the most at risk. Now, thousands more—who worked for years to get their ACCs—find themselves targeted just the same. The fear of arrest or expulsion keeps many people at home, away from jobs and schools.

Children in particular are suffering. Many Afghan youth born in Pakistan 🇵🇰 only know life there, but now face being sent to a country they have never seen. The quick and often unplanned returns break up families, cause children to drop out of school, and force parents to give up any income or community ties they had built.

Forced Relocations Inside Pakistan

Although formal deportations focus most on pushing Afghans across the border to Afghanistan 🇦🇫, there are also reports of people being moved within Pakistan 🇵🇰 itself. This happens most to PoR cardholders, who, while not yet formally expelled, are being sent out of major cities into more remote or less developed areas. People say this upsets children’s studies, jobs, and the support networks needed to survive.

Some families have lived in cities like Islamabad for twenty or thirty years. Now, they get an order to leave within days, sometimes with little more than what they can carry. Community leaders say this approach is both unfair and harmful, especially for older residents and the very young.

Strain on Pakistan, Worries from Abroad

Pakistan 🇵🇰 has a long history of sheltering people from Afghanistan 🇦🇫. Many experts note that hosting millions of refugees over decades has put real stress on schools, health services, and local communities. At the same time, global groups point out that returning Afghans with nowhere safe to go simply passes this crisis back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫, where there may be no work or support.

Pakistani officials defend the new policy by saying their country can no longer carry the weight alone and want other countries and aid groups to do more. On the flip side, UN agencies and foreign governments argue that forcing people out, especially those with legal documents like Afghan Citizen Cards, risks serious harm and may break local and international laws.

Legal Framework and International Law

The problem, many experts say, is the gap between written law and what happens in practice. Official protections for refugees—such as those under the UN’s protection system—are only as good as the government’s willingness to follow the rules. When agencies warn that “due process” is being ignored, they mean that people aren’t getting a fair chance to show why they should stay, or to appeal against their removal.

Even people with valid papers, including Afghan Citizen Cards, can now be arrested and deported without access to a lawyer or a fair hearing. Human rights law calls for each case to be checked carefully, but this rarely happens in today’s mass removals.

Human Rights and Vulnerable Groups

Vulnerable groups—including women journalists, human rights defenders, religious minorities, and LGBTQ+ persons—face extra threats if sent back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫. Global organizations have warned for months that many returnees have been exposed to violence, discrimination, or poverty. Some reports from Afghanistan 🇦🇫 confirm these dangers, noting cases where deported people face arrest, loss of property, or worse.

Groups like Amnesty International and UN experts have called on Pakistan 🇵🇰 to stop the mass removal of Afghans until each case can be fairly assessed. They ask for protection especially for people who would clearly face harm if expelled.

The Outlook: What Comes Next?

As the new rules remain in place, most Afghans—no matter their paperwork—face a cloud of uncertainty. While the government says registered refugees may remain for now, each new policy announcement raises fears that even these groups could soon be forced out.

The future is unclear. Both humanitarian groups and foreign governments continue to push Pakistan 🇵🇰 to respect both national and international law, and to stop deportations that put lives at risk. At the same time, Pakistan 🇵🇰 keeps asking for more support to help manage those who do remain—especially as its own economic challenges deepen.

What Should Affected Afghans Do?

For Afghan families in Pakistan 🇵🇰, the best advice is to stay informed and work with trusted support groups, if possible. Some international agencies, including the UNHCR, still offer legal and emergency help to registered refugees. People with PoR cards should check UNHCR’s official site, which gives the latest updates and advice for refugees living in Pakistan 🇵🇰.

For those without documents—or with now-useless Afghan Citizen Cards—options are limited. Staying connected to local aid organizations or community leaders can sometimes lead to help. It’s important to know your rights and, if arrested, ask for legal help if possible.

Summary

In short, Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 decision to end legal protection for holders of Afghan Citizen Cards has led to one of the biggest changes for Afghans in the country since mass arrivals began decades ago. The crackdown has left both documented and undocumented people living in fear of deportation—from big cities and remote towns alike. Human rights groups say the move goes against international promises to protect those fleeing war or danger.

The story is still unfolding. While officials wish to balance local challenges with outside help, affected Afghans find themselves increasingly stuck—caught between new rules in Pakistan 🇵🇰 and ongoing threats in Afghanistan 🇦🇫. People wanting more detailed, official information about legal status or support can visit the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior website. For the latest news and analysis on these developments, VisaVerge.com remains a trusted resource, working to keep readers updated on all important policy changes.

Learn Today

Afghan Citizen Card → A document issued by Pakistan between 2017-2018 to Afghans, offering legal stay but not official refugee status.
Proof of Registration (PoR) → An identity card given by UNHCR to recognized Afghan refugees in Pakistan, granting basic rights and protection.
Refoulement → The international law principle prohibiting sending refugees back to a country where they face danger or persecution.
Due process → The fair, legal procedure that should be followed before detaining or deporting someone, including hearings and appeals.
UNHCR → The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN’s agency protecting displaced people and overseeing refugee status worldwide.

This Article in a Nutshell

Pakistan’s revocation of Afghan Citizen Card protections marks a defining crisis for Afghans. Once a legal shield, these cards became useless overnight, thrusting thousands into fear and uncertainty. Even refugees with UN documents face harassment or expulsion, threatening vulnerable groups and breaking international agreements. The situation remains tense and unresolved.
— By VisaVerge.com

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