Pakistan Plans Mass Expulsion of Afghan Refugees, Says Afghan Embassy

Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi face arrests and forced relocations as Pakistan accelerates its repatriation drive.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad has reported arrests, searches, and forced relocations targeting Afghan refugees in Pakistan's capital and Rawalpindi.
Pakistan's government aims to expel all Afghan refugees from the country, including those in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as part of its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan initiated in 2023.
Approximately 2.5 million Afghans reside in Pakistan, with about half registered as refugees under UNHCR; those registered have temporary protections until June 2025.
The Afghan embassy has expressed concerns over the lack of formal communication about the mass deportation plans and the unilateral nature of Pakistan’s actions.
The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has observed a rise in deportations since January, heightening fears among Afghan refugees of imminent removal.