By: Muhammad Ijaz Afridi
PESHAWAR: The federal government has decided to repatriate Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan who were awaiting resettlement in the United States and other Western countries, after it emerged that the concerned countries have ended the resettlement programs.
The decision was taken at a recent high-level meeting on Afghan refugees, attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and other relevant institutions. The minutes of the meeting have been shared by the Ministry of Interior with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and other provinces, directing immediate implementation.
According to officials familiar with the proceedings, the MoFA informed the meeting that it had repeatedly contacted US authorities regarding the relocation of US-sponsored Afghan nationals, but Washington was currently not inclined to resettle them. Afghan nationals sponsored by the US and some European countries had been allowed to stay in Pakistan until December 31, 2025, but despite the lapse of the deadline, no serious steps were taken by the concerned countries.
In view of the situation, the meeting decided that these Afghan nationals would also be sent back to Afghanistan. Officials said the number of such individuals exceeds 19,000, and they are currently residing in different parts of the country while awaiting transfer abroad.
The Ministry of Interior informed the meeting that lists of these Afghan nationals had already been shared with provincial governments. Fresh instructions have now been issued to take action in line with those lists. Concern was also expressed over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s approach to the repatriation process, with participants stressing that provinces were bound to implement federal decisions.
The meeting was told that after December 10, the pace of deportation of foreigners had slowed considerably, prompting concern at the federal level. Provinces were once again directed to intensify action against illegal foreigners, including those sponsored by other countries.
While the overall pace of Afghan repatriation in November was described as satisfactory, participants noted that the process slowed during the first 10 days of December. It was unanimously decided that all illegal Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan would be repatriated immediately, and relevant institutions were instructed to further intensify their efforts.
The meeting also decided that Afghan nationals living in former Afghan refugee camps would be repatriated without delay. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was specifically directed to fully implement the federal government’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
Officials also highlighted cases involving Afghan nationals allegedly holding Pakistani identity documents. District-level committees were directed to take immediate decisions on such cases, while provincial governments and special area administrations were asked to resolve them through district administrations without delay.
The MoFA representative informed the meeting that Pakistan has an agreement with Germany for the limited resettlement of Afghan nationals, with a deadline of December 31, 2025, after which no extension would be granted. In contrast, it was clarified that the United States was not willing to resettle Afghan nationals, prompting the decision to repatriate those seeking relocation there.
The meeting emphasised that effective repatriation required close coordination between federal and provincial institutions. All stakeholders were therefore instructed to ensure the return of illegal Afghan nationals through a joint and coordinated strategy.
Officials said that following recent incidents involving Afghan nationals in the US and Europe, many countries were reluctant to accept Afghan refugees, leading Pakistan to proceed with their repatriation to Afghanistan.
