Twin cities turn into ‘no-go area’ for Afghans after deadline expires
• Rawalpindi police chief orders expulsion of Afghan refugees residing in district; families of those ‘found involved in criminal activities’ liable to be deported
• PoR holders allowed to stay until June 30, but ACC holders must exit country voluntarily or face deportation
• UNHCR calls for comprehensive approach to address needs of ‘Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Afghans’, says Islamabad cannot do it alone
RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: As the government’s deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country ends today, law enforcement officials in the twin cities have been ordered to nab and deport any Afghan nationals found involved in criminal activities, along with their families.
March 31 was also the deadline set by authorities to shift all Afghan citizens out of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Sources told Dawn the Rawalpindi police chief has directed the superintendents of the Rawal, Potohar and Saddar divisions to take legal action against illegal Afghan nationals residing or working in the district.
Police have been directed to detain any Afghans who are found involved in criminal activity. However, the order advocates a form of collective punishment, stating that if any member of a family is found implicated in a crime, the entire family will be liable for deportation.
Following the Rawalpindi city police officer’s (CPO) orders, all station house officers (SHOs) have been directed to detain Afghan nationals residing in their respective jurisdictions, as well as their families.
“We have received directions that all Afghan nationals holding ACC cards must be expelled from Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” a police official told Dawn on Sunday.
In addition, the directives state that Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards who are residing in the twin cities should be cautioned that they and their families have to leave Pakistan in line with the government policy. The deadline for PoR cardholders to leave the country is June 30, 2025. However, there is no clarity in the police order about whether the documented refugees will be evicted by the authorities.
Police have been continuing search operations in different parts of Rawalpindi district to verify residents – especially those who had been living in rented properties.
Since the crackdown against illegal foreigners was launched in January this year, as many as 923 Afghan nationals were rounded up and shifted to the refugee holding centre near Golra Mor.
Official data shows that as of March 26, 923 Afghan nationals had been brought to the camp, of whom 715 were released after scrutiny. At least 213 were sent to Torkham for repatriation.
The data also reveals that in addition to 116 ACC holders, 290 PoR card holders and 21 UNHCR token holders had been detained at the centre. Moreover, at least 24 individuals who had applied for third-country resettlement had also been brought to the centre.
‘Pakistan and Afghanistan must work together’
Separately, a statement by the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) acknowledged the hospitality Pakistan extended to the refugees while stressing that the solution lie in “all of us working together — Afghanistan, Pakistan and the international community”.
In her Eid message, UNHCR Pakistan representative Philippa Candler said Pakistan could not be expected to carry the responsibility of hosting Afghan refugees forever, and advocated a comprehensive approach that addressed both the immediate and long-term needs of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and of the Afghans themselves.
She said that the international community has a significant role to play, adding that humanitarian aid needs to continue, not just to provide short-term relief but to support long-term development programmes.
According to the UN official, Pakistan and Afghanistan must work together to make sure that Afghan refugees can voluntarily and safely return home. She observed that those who were pushed to return in 2023 are back in Pakistan again.
She said that sustainable returns means creating a peaceful and secure environment in Afghanistan so refugees don’t have to fear persecution or discrimination when they go back.
She pointed out that for Afghans who cannot return safely for the moment, efforts must be made in Pakistan to expand access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, while also granting them legal recognition and protection under international refugee law.
Pakistan hosts 1.52 million registered Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers, an estimated 800,000 Afghan citizenship holders, along with others living in the country without official recognition.
“Pakistan’s continued support for Afghan refugees is admirable, but undeniably a challenge for the host state,” she said, adding that healthcare, education, and other public services were often overburdened, and host communities were feeling the strain.
Pakistan is stuck in a tough spot — balancing the needs of its own people, dealing with a growing security challenge, and shouldering the financial impact of hosting refugees, Ms Candler added.
The UN refugee agency representative said promises were made for the relocation of Afghans who have entered the country since 2021.
Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2025