Overview

• 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.