ISLAMABAD, May 15: Pakistan has repatriated around 1.3 million Afghan refugees in a deportation drive since November 2023, according to Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik.
The government initially focused on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation, but later included other categories like Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
Around 3 million Afghan refugees are currently residing in Pakistan, with 813,000 holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) and 1.3 million possessing Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
It is believed that hundreds of thousands of Afghans are living illegally without any documents. The interior ministry earlier this year asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave Pakistan before March 31, warning them of deportation from April 1.
In total, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland. (PTI)
