Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Face Deportations Amid Uncertain PoR Cards

First, identified linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. UNHCR (policy)
2. Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan (uscis_resource)
3. Amnesty International (policy)
4. UNHCR (second mention) — already linked once; skip further linking per rules
5. Amnesty International (second mention) — already linked once; skip further linking

Now the article with up to five .gov links added (only the first mention of each resource), no other changes:

(PAKISTAN) Pakistan is pressing ahead with its “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” a nationwide effort that has driven large-scale deportation of Afghan refugees and deepened a climate of fear among families who fled war and repression.

As of September 17, 2025, aid groups report that over 1.9 million Afghans have returned or been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year, including more than 300,000 from Pakistan. Rights organizations warn the push risks sending people back to danger in Afghanistan, where women and girls face sweeping bans on education and work and opponents of the Taliban face harsh reprisals.

Pakistani officials frame the campaign as a security measure tied to counterterrorism. Critics say the approach punishes people who sought safety and breaches international rules that ban returning anyone to a place where they face serious harm. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has urged Pakistan to stop forced returns and to protect people at risk, stressing that refoulement—forced return to danger—violates core refugee protections. UNHCR guidance and updates are available at UNHCR.

Under the three-phase plan announced in October 2023, authorities first targeted Afghans without any documents, then moved to those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), and finally to Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders. PoR cards—issued with UNHCR support—cover at least 1.4 million Afghans in Pakistan. These cards expired on June 30, 2025.

Although officials announced a halt to deportations of PoR cardholders in July, advocates say the pause is fragile and cannot protect families in the absence of a clear renewal process.

The policy and its real-world effects

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, argue the current returns violate the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international refugee law. Amnesty has called for an immediate halt to deportations and renewal of PoR cards so people can live and work without fear. Its latest appeals are posted at Amnesty International.

On the ground, Afghan refugees describe daily risks that reach far beyond checkpoints. People delay medical visits, skip school runs, and stay indoors to avoid arrest. Doctors say the fear is keeping patients away from clinics, especially women who already face barriers to care.

Aid staff report:
– Family separation during removals.
– Loss of informal jobs and livelihoods.
– Sudden homelessness after evictions tied to status checks.

In Afghanistan, returnees face a harsh reality:
– Women and girls are largely blocked from secondary and higher education and many forms of employment.
– Human rights monitors document detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings of perceived opponents.
– These conditions increase the risks for people returned, particularly those fleeing gender-based persecution or political targeting.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the scale and pace of deportation have strained already limited aid systems at border crossings. Many arrivals come with few belongings, no cash, and urgent needs for shelter, food, and basic healthcare, while local agencies prioritize the most urgent cases.

Key takeaway: Rapid, large-scale returns are overwhelming border systems and exposing returnees to immediate protection and humanitarian needs.

Government stance, legal context, and stakeholder pressure

Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan says the plan responds to security threats and seeks to regularize the status of all foreigners. Officials argue that people without permission to remain must depart. For official policy updates and contacts, see the Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan.

UNHCR and other rights groups call for:
– Protection screening and case-by-case assessments.
– Safeguards for the most vulnerable, including women traveling alone, people with medical needs, and former government workers.
– Avoidance of collective expulsions and better humanitarian access.

Amnesty International and networks like the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) have condemned forced returns as breaches of international law and urged the government to extend documentation and allow aid workers broader access to detention and border sites.

Legal and procedural concerns

The three-phase removal strategy, combined with the June 30, 2025 PoR expiry, has left many families unsure of their status. Even with a temporary halt for PoR holders, Afghan refugees report:
– Repeated document checks.
– Fear of detention.
– Frequent moves to avoid police contact, including changing houses and phone numbers.
– Pulling children from school to reduce the risk of being bused to the frontier without a chance to appeal.

Advocates highlight public health impacts:
– Pregnant women skipping prenatal appointments.
– People with chronic illnesses missing medications.
– Interruptions to tuberculosis treatment, risking complications and drug resistance.

Pakistan’s security rationale remains central to official messaging: some militants have used refugee flows as cover, officials say, and the state must protect its citizens. Critics accept the need for security but argue mass deportation is a blunt instrument that harms people who pose no threat and undermines Pakistan’s long record of hosting Afghans through four decades of conflict.

International and local responses

International pressure is rising. Donors and rights groups are urging Pakistan to:
– Renew PoR cards.
– Avoid collective expulsions.
– Open channels for humanitarian exceptions.
– Coordinate with aid agencies to manage returns safely and prevent family separation.

Local civil society and refugee communities stress they want clarity and basic protections:
– A valid document and a clear process to extend it.
– Confidence that routine activities (like hospital visits or school attendance) will not result in detention.
– Protection for long-settled families whose children were born in Pakistan.
– Time and space to appeal or access protection screening.

Key questions remain:
1. Will PoR cards be renewed, and if so, for how long?
2. Will the halted removals of PoR holders hold if security incidents spike?
3. Can Pakistan and international partners set up screening that routes those at clear risk to protection instead of the border?

For now, the policy remains in force, the future of PoR cardholders is uncertain, and the number of returns continues to climb. UN agencies and rights groups say the only safe path is one that:
– Protects people from harm.
– Keeps families together.
– Respects the basic rule against sending anyone back to a place where they face persecution.

Officials can be contacted through the Interior Ministry; the minister of interior is Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi ([email protected]), while UNHCR and Amnesty continue to publish updates at UNHCR and Amnesty International.