The deadline set by Pakistan for Afghan refugees to leave the country has expired, and the Pakistani government has announced that starting from September 1, around 1.3 million Afghan refugees holding refugee cards will be deported.
Pakistan claims that these cards have expired and that continued stay is no longer legal.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has requested Islamabad to extend the deadline and consider the situation of Afghan students and families with close ties to Pakistan.
Civil society groups and human rights activists in Islamabad have condemned the government’s decision, calling it a violation of humanitarian principles and international law.
They have urged the government to halt deportations and provide legal residency, work permits, and even pathways to citizenship for the refugees.
Reports indicate that since last year, nearly 1.2 million Afghans have already been deported from Pakistan, and around 3 million more remain at serious risk of expulsion.
🇺🇳 United Nations Urges Pakistan to Delay Deportation of Afghan Refugees
