Pakistan extends residency of 1.4 million documented Afghan refugees

Pakistan on Friday, November 10, declared the extension of legal residence status for approximately 1.4 million Afghan refugees until the end of the year, following a four-month delay.

However, the country maintained its stance against halting deportations of undocumented Afghans and other foreign nationals.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasising that the delay had subjected refugee families to harassment and abuse during the nationwide crackdown.

The registered refugees, primarily comprised of families fleeing decades of conflict and persecution since the late 1970s, had their PoR cards renewed every six months. However, this renewal did not occur when it expired on June 30, as indicated in the Friday statement, which did not provide reasons for the delay.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 saw the Taliban regain power, imposing their interpretation of Islamic law. Economic uncertainty awaits returnees, with Gallup warning of bleak job prospects, squeezed household incomes, and challenges in affording basic necessities in Afghanistan, where women’s rights continue to deteriorate.