Pakistan’s looming September 1, 2025, deadline for Afghan refugees with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to leave the country has ignited fears of mass Afghan deportations. The policy, part of the government’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” threatens to uproot 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, many of whom have called Pakistan home for decades. Families like that of Amina, a Kabul native deported last month, are devastated, with Amina sharing, “We’re homeless here, with no hope left.”
United Nation on Mass Afghan Deportations
The United Nations has condemned the move, warning it violates the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning refugees to places where they face persecution. Farhan Haq, UN Deputy Spokesperson, emphasized, “Forcing PoR cardholders back contradicts Pakistan’s humanitarian legacy.” Over 2.1 million Afghans have returned or been deported this year, including 352,000 from Pakistan, straining Afghanistan’s fragile economy and services, where nearly 23 million people need humanitarian aid. This mass Afghan Deportations from Pakistan has deep impact on normal people.
The deportations also ripple beyond Afghanistan. In Iran, the expulsion of Afghan workers has stalled construction projects, with Tehran’s Housing Developers Association noting economic disruptions due to labor shortages. Deported worker Abdul Sattar lamented, “We worked for less, but now we’re discarded, with nothing.”
As the deadline nears, the plight of Afghan refugees grows dire, with the world urged to act to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe driven by mass expulsions.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 7th, 2025
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