Pakistan's crackdown on Afghan migrants: What you need to know

Pakistan's caretaker government has initiated a comprehensive crackdown on the estimated 1.7 million alleged illegal Afghan migrants who have been residing in Pakistan for several years. The government set a deadline last month, urging immigrants to leave voluntarily, or they would face forceful deportation.

Afghans forced out of Pakistan

• The interior ministry released a statement announcing the commencement of the process to arrest and deport illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan.
• Consequently, there has been a significant influx of Afghan nationals at the Torkham border, creating an overwhelming situation.
• On November 1, Pakistan deported 7,300 nationals, including 100 prisoners who had been serving sentences for minor offenses, but were released prematurely by the government.
• As per the Pakistani government, approximately 200,000 Afghan refugees have already departed from Pakistan.

Afghanistan's Taliban government deemed the decision "unacceptable" and urged Pakistan to reconsider its stance.

Reasons for Pakistan's action

• Although the Pakistani government has not officially stated the reasons for the crackdown, it is believed to be linked to the surge in terrorist activities in the regions where many Afghans reside.
• A blast in Mastung, Balochistan, on September 29, 2023, claimed the lives of at least 50 people, fueling suspicions of the involvement of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group in Pakistan.
• While the Pakistani government has not accused the migrants of direct involvement in the attacks, there are underlying suspicions, leading to the decision to enforce the refugee deadline.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob was quoted by AFP, stating that Pakistan’s policy was "cruel and barbaric".

Afghan refugees in Pakistan

• Around 1.3 million Afghans are registered as refugees in Pakistan, with approximately 880,000 having legal status.
• The Pakistani government maintains that the remaining 1.7 million Afghans are residing in the country illegally and must be repatriated.
• Reports suggest that the Pakistani government has resorted to using violence to expel Afghan refugees, raising concerns about the welfare and safety of the affected individuals.
• Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at the Human Rights Watch (HRW), highlighted that Pakistan's imposed deadline has resulted in detentions, beatings, and extortion, leaving thousands of Afghans apprehensive about their future.
• Many Afghan refugees currently find themselves in camps across various regions of Pakistan.