Published on November 1, 2023
Pakistani officials have reported that over 100,000 Afghan nationals have returned to their Taliban-ruled homeland in the past two weeks as the deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave Pakistan neared its expiration at the end of Wednesday.
Return of Afghan Nationals:
The exodus of Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan occurred via the main Torkham border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern province bordering Afghanistan.
Many of those leaving had lived in Pakistan for more than 30 years, without official registration.
Upcoming Expulsion Operation:
In October, Pakistan issued a warning that it would expel all undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, who remained in the country after November 1.
The government announced that an operation to locate and deport these individuals would commence on Thursday.
In response to the repatriation drive targeting undocumented individuals in Pakistan, the government has denied that it is solely directed at Afghan nationals. According to Bugti, a government official, most of the undocumented people originate from Afghanistan, but the perception that only Afghans are being affected is incorrect. This clarification was made during a news conference.
In addition to the repatriation efforts, the government is in the process of establishing deportation centers across all four provinces to temporarily detain foreign nationals until they are returned to their home countries. However, the decision to evict refugees has faced criticism from both rights groups and the United Nations.
The deportation order coincides with a surge in armed attacks in Pakistan, which the government attributes to groups and individuals based in Afghanistan. It’s worth noting that the Afghan Taliban has denied these allegations. According to Bugti, there have been 24 suicide bomb attacks since January, and 14 of them were attributed to Afghan nationals.
The situation reflects a complex and evolving dynamic with significant implicati
Undocumented Afghan Nationals in Pakistan:
The Pakistani government has provided an estimate that more than four million foreigners reside in Pakistan, with the majority being Afghan nationals who sought refuge over the past four decades, beginning with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
In recent times, following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Pakistani officials report that between 600,000 to 800,000 Afghans migrated to Pakistan. Of this population, the Pakistani government claims that nearly 1.7 million Afghans lack proper documentation, making them undocumented residents in the country. The issue of undocumented Afghan nationals has been a focal point for the Pakistani government, leading to their decision to expel these individuals, which is set to begin with an operation in the coming days.
Pakistan estimates that more than four million Afghans reside within its borders, with approximately 1.7 million lacking proper documentation.
A significant portion of these Afghan nationals are families who fled Afghanistan during decades of conflict, with another wave leaving following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Pakistan’s Stance:
- The Pakistani government has taken a hardline stance, asserting that Afghan nationals have been involved in militant attacks, smuggling, and other criminal activities within its territory.
International Response:
- Kabul has refuted these accusations, while rights groups have protested and urged Pakistan to reconsider its expulsion policy.
The influx of Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan has surged in anticipation of Pakistan’s expulsion operation, prompting renewed concerns about the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.
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