Pakistan Extends Stay for Afghan Refugees by One Year
Pakistan says it will extend the validity of Proof of Registration cards for 1.45 million Afghan refugees for an additional year.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has announced that it will extend the registration cards of nearly 1.5 million Afghan refugees after a senior UN official urged the country to halt its deportation plan.
“The federal cabinet approved a one-year extension of the validity of POR (Proof of Registration) cards of 1.45 million Afghan refugees. Their PoR cards had expired on June 30, 2024. The extension has been granted until June 30, 2025,” the prime minister’s office stated following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
International Appeal for Extended Support
The announcement came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the status of the refugees with Filippo Grandi, chief of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), who visited Pakistan earlier this week. Sharif emphasized the need for the international community to acknowledge the “burden being shouldered” by Pakistan and to demonstrate “collective responsibility,” according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office on Tuesday.
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Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The latest influx started in August 2021 when the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, prompting some 600,000 to 800,000 Afghans to seek refuge in neighboring Pakistan.
Repatriation Program Criticized and Paused
Last November, Pakistan launched a widely criticized repatriation program aimed at returning millions of Afghans, regardless of their legal status. According to the government, Pakistan currently hosts nearly three million Afghans, with close to 2.4 million possessing some form of legal documentation. Of these, almost 1.5 million hold a UNHCR Proof of Residence card, and another 800,000 possess an Afghan Citizenship Card (ACC).
An official at the Afghan Commissionerate, the government agency responsible for Afghan refugees in the country, stated that more than 600,000 refugees have returned to Afghanistan to date, with more than 30,000 being deported and the rest returning voluntarily.
UNHCR Chief Grandi acknowledged the challenges faced by Pakistan and expressed appreciation that the repatriation program has now been “suspended,” hoping it will remain so. Grandi’s constructive discussions with the government, partners, and Afghan refugees were summarized in a statement by the UNHCR.
Calm at the Border
An official at the Afghan Commissionerate, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the plan has been temporarily paused, with no expulsions or deportations occurring from border crossings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan provinces. “These days, there is complete calm at the border, and Afghan families are not facing harassment or arrests,” the official told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
Filippo Grandi’s visit to Pakistan highlighted the need for accelerated solutions and a broader vision for the Afghan people in Pakistan. His discussions and the subsequent suspension of the repatriation program have provided a temporary reprieve for Afghan refugees, ensuring their stay in Pakistan for another year.
The extension of the PoR cards signifies Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to hosting Afghan refugees despite the significant challenges it faces. The international community’s recognition and support are crucial in addressing the refugee crisis and ensuring a sustainable solution for those displaced by conflict.