ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has issued a March 31 deadline for thousands of Afghan nationals awaiting relocation to Western countries, including the United States, to leave its territory. If resettlement is not facilitated by that date, the Afghan migrants will face deportation, according to a directive issued by the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office and seen by Amu TV.
The document outlines a multi-phase relocation plan for Afghan migrants in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including those awaiting resettlement in third countries. Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders will be immediately relocated as part of Phase I, alongside undocumented Afghans, and repatriated to Afghanistan.
According to the document, Afghan Citizen Cardholders (ACC) in Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be moved out and sent back to Afghanistan as part of the first phase.
The document shows that Proof of Registration (POR) cardholders, who have been granted an extension to remain in Pakistan until June 30, 2025, will be relocated out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi but are allowed to stay elsewhere in Pakistan for now.
The document shows that Afghan nationals awaiting relocation to third countries must leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31, 2025. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with coordinating with foreign embassies to expedite their relocation. If arrangements are not made, these individuals will also be repatriated to Afghanistan.
The directive, signed by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, emphasizes that no public announcements will be made about the deportation plans, and authorities must ensure that those repatriated do not return. Intelligence agencies, including the ISI and IB, have been instructed to monitor the implementation of the relocation plan and provide regular updates to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Pakistan has been home to millions of Afghan migrants for decades, including those who fled after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Officials estimate that over 800,000 documented migrants hold Afghan Citizen Cards, while thousands more remain undocumented.
Since late 2023, Pakistani authorities have intensified their crackdown on undocumented migrants, expelling more than 800,000 Afghans.
The directive also complicates the resettlement of 15,000 Afghans awaiting relocation to the United States, as promised under the evacuation and resettlement efforts following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The Trump administration’s suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, announced last month, has further delayed the process, leaving thousands of Afghan migrants in limbo.
