ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan has postponed the start of its latest phase of mass deportations of Afghan nationals, pushing back a deadline originally set for April 1 to April 10 due to the Eid al-Fitr holidays, the Associated Press reported, citing government documents.
The delay offers a brief reprieve for tens of thousands of Afghans living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, who were told to leave voluntarily by March 31 or face arrest and deportation. But officials have made clear that the operation—part of a sweeping anti-immigration crackdown launched in October 2023—remains on track to expel as many as 3 million Afghans from the country this year.
So far, at least 845,000 Afghans have already left Pakistan over the past 18 months, according to the International Organization for Migration. Pakistani officials say around 3 million still remain. Of those, 1.3 million hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards that grant them temporary legal status until June 30, while more than 800,000 carry Afghan Citizen Cards, which are now being invalidated. Another estimated 1 million Afghans are undocumented and considered illegal residents.
Authorities said Afghan Citizen Card holders must leave the capital region immediately or be forcibly deported, and warned that resettlement-bound Afghans—those approved for relocation to third countries such as the United States—must also vacate Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.
Pakistan’s government has vowed to prevent deported Afghans from returning and has signaled a hardline stance moving forward, despite mounting criticism from human rights groups, the Taliban-led government in Kabul, and United Nations agencies.
Many of those facing deportation are Afghans who fled after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Tens of thousands were approved for U.S. resettlement programs due to their ties with American institutions, including the military, NGOs, and media outlets. But those plans were abruptly halted in January when President Donald Trump suspended U.S. refugee admissions, leaving roughly 20,000 Afghans in legal limbo within Pakistan.
Pakistani officials have said they will work with foreign embassies to facilitate third-country resettlement for eligible Afghans, but warned that those who cannot be relocated will also be deported.
The crackdown has triggered widespread anxiety in Afghan communities across Pakistan, especially in cities like Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar, where Afghan migrants have lived for decades. Critics argue that the campaign punishes vulnerable families, many of whom have little or no connection to Afghanistan and fear persecution under Taliban rule.
