Islamabad, August 26: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted interim relief to 18 Afghan nationals facing deportation after their Proof of Registration (POR) cards expired, amid Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar issued the ruling in response to petitions filed by the group, reportedly linked to the family of late Fazlur Rahman, who had applied for Pakistani citizenship in 2008 after meeting legal requirements. The court’s order bars authorities from deporting them until further notice and seeks responses from the Interior Ministry, the Immigration Department, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Pakistan’s Repatriation Plan
The decision comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” under which Afghan refugees holding expired POR cards were instructed to leave voluntarily between August 4 and August 31. Deportations are set to begin on September 1, raising alarm among rights groups and refugee families.
Human rights organizations and the UNHCR have cautioned that forced deportations risk violating the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to countries where they face persecution. Rights advocates argue that mass expulsions could devastate Afghan families who have lived in Pakistan for decades, integrating socially and economically.
Crackdown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Meanwhile, police in Peshawar and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have intensified operations to identify undocumented Afghans. According to Khaama Press, several migrants were recently detained, with authorities claiming seizures of weapons and narcotics during raids in areas such as Kacha Carhi, Nasir Bagh, and Regi.
House-to-house searches, arrests, and deportations have reportedly increased in recent months. The suspension of Afghan visa renewals for more than a month has compounded the crisis, leaving many previously documented residents vulnerable to expulsion.
On August 13, the federal government also formed a special committee of police and intelligence officials to monitor, track, and repatriate Afghan nationals holding expired POR cards. The committee has been tasked with data collection and inter-agency coordination to accelerate deportations.
Growing Humanitarian Concerns
The UNHCR and human rights groups have warned that Pakistan’s policies are pushing thousands of Afghans into homelessness and insecurity. Reports of harassment, threats, and coercion by law enforcement have further heightened fears among refugees.
Advocates caution that without urgent policy changes, Pakistan risks deepening a humanitarian crisis—displacing vulnerable Afghan families, stripping them of livelihoods, and exposing them to greater instability.