Afghan migrants in Pakistan say they are facing escalating pressure from Pakistani authorities following renewed border clashes between the Taliban and the Pakistani military, as well as Islamabad’s expanded deportation policy.
Many migrants said the Pakistani police conducted house-to-house searches in various parts of Islamabad on Tuesday, October 21.
Several migrants report that the Pakistani government has refused to extend their legal residency and has instructed landlords not to renew housing contracts with undocumented Afghans. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared that assisting Afghan citizens without legal documentation is a punishable offense.
“Issues that have affected all Afghan refugees recently include landlords refusing to rent homes to undocumented migrants,” said one Afghan migrant living in Pakistan. “These migrants have no political affiliations. They came here out of desperation, seeking a better future for their children, and now they are living in extremely difficult conditions.”
Rights activists say the crackdown has created a humanitarian crisis for thousands of long-term residents who are now effectively rendered homeless.
“In recent days, the government has ordered landlords to evict Afghan refugees,” said Fereshta Naseri, a human rights advocate based in Pakistan. “This decision has created serious problems not only for the refugees but also for the property owners. Families who have lived in Pakistan for years are now without shelter.”
Tensions surged after recent clashes along the Afghan-Pakistani border, leading to an order by the Pakistani prime minister for an immediate and large-scale expulsion of Afghan nationals. Authorities have been instructed not to grant any extensions or leniency.
The decision has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who say it violates international legal obligations.
“With the sudden expulsion of these individuals, many of whom hold legal documents, Pakistan is violating international law and breaching the principle of non-refoulement,” said Mohammad Khan Talibi Mohammadzai, a refugee rights advocate. “This has caused serious humanitarian and social consequences for a wide segment of migrants.”
The deportations have already begun in phases.
According to Pakistani authorities, phase 1 began in October 2023, targeting undocumented migrants. More than 468,000 people were deported by the end of December that year.
Phase 2, targeting holders of Afghan citizenship cards, was implemented in April 2025, resulting in the return of more than 800,000 people.
Phase 3, now underway as of September 2025, targets holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
The United Nations has warned that many returnees are arriving in Afghanistan without resources or shelter, putting added strain on a country already grappling with economic collapse, human rights restrictions, recurring natural disasters and widespread shortages of basic services.
Aid groups say the surge in returns is intensifying Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis and threatening to overwhelm the country’s fragile support systems.
