Muhammad Ijaz Afridi
PESHAWAR: The government has decided to blacklist Afghan refugees who fail to leave voluntarily before the designated deadline.
To facilitate this process, the identification system established at the border will be directly linked to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The federal government has informed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of this decision and has sent a letter to the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regarding it. Along with the letter, the minutes from a meeting held at the Ministry of Interior, as well as the decisions made during that meeting, have also been shared.
According to available information, a three-year visa ban has been imposed on all illegal returnees. This ban will apply to holders of ACC cards starting April 1, 2025, and to holders of POR cards starting September 1, 2025. However, this ban will not affect Afghan refugees who return to their homeland before the deadline. NADRA’s border terminal will be linked to its database to ensure that illegal individuals can be easily identified during border crossings. This ban on illegal Afghan refugees will last for three years.
The Ministry of Interior has instructed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take effective measures to expel foreigners who are illegally residing in the province. Following the orders from the Ministry of Interior, the Department of Interior and Tribal Affairs has begun taking action. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department, at the direction of the federal government, has initiated regular operations in the first phase to forcibly repatriate Afghans living in camps. In the second phase, the focus will shift to Afghans who have sought refuge outside these camps or have relocated from other provinces to rural areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The federal government has mandated all provinces to coordinate efforts for the return of Afghan refugees, as expelling illegally residing foreigners has become essential for maintaining security and order in Pakistan. According to official sources, there is a significant number of Afghan refugees living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and actions against them have already commenced. Those being sent back are being entered into a systematic process to ensure strict implementation of the visa policy.
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An official from the Interior Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the government’s decision regarding the return of Afghan refugees is final, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Interior Department is obligated to comply with this decision. The department is not influenced by the political agendas of any political party. The repatriation of Afghan refugees is ongoing, and deportees are processed in accordance with legal requirements. While this process may take time, it should not imply that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will become a refuge for Afghan refugees. The official further emphasised that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government must ensure the implementation of all decisions made by the federal government in its meeting on September 1.
