Pakistan Deports Afghans with UNHCR Documents

Pakistan has deported 285 Afghan nationals between January 1 and 15, including 80 individuals holding preliminary documents issued by the UNHCR, VOA reported.

This marks a shift in policy, as Pakistani authorities previously refrained from deporting those with UN-issued papers.

The crackdown follows Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s announcement in November that all Afghan citizens must obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) to remain in Islamabad. The minister linked the expulsion to Afghan involvement in protests supporting former Prime Minister Imran Khan, which resulted in security fatalities.

International concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of registered Afghan refugees, with discussions between Pakistani officials and U.S. and U.K. envoys about the situation ongoing. Pakistan is home to approximately 3.1 million Afghans, with over 800,000 undocumented.

More than 813,000 Afghans have returned to their home country since September 2023, including about 300,000 last year. More than 38,000 have been deported in almost 15 months, according to the U.N.