Pakistan begins deportation of Afghan PoR holders

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Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has launched a formal deportation campaign targeting Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, with deportations scheduled to begin September 1, following expiration of the documents on June 30, according to a ministry notification reported by Radio Pakistan.

Under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), authorities initiated a phase of voluntary returns and have begun formal repatriation. The ministry reports that more than 1.3 million PoR card holders have already departed Pakistan since earlier extensions ended in June 2025. In total, nearly 2.8 million Afghan refugees have been hosted in Pakistan over four decades of regional conflict about 1.6 million are still in the country, including approximately 800,000 holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC).

Interior Ministry officials pointed to growing security pressures including a surge in militant and terrorist incidents as the primary rationale for repatriation. Authorities have highlighted increasing strain on national resources and infrastructure in border provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh.

Earlier this summer, the federal government temporarily suspended enforcement actions against PoR card holders while reviewing the possible extension of their registration. However, with no extension granted, authorities resumed house‑to‑house verifications and preparation for deportations once administrative deadlines passed.

According to United Nations agencies, over 1.2 million Afghan nationals have been deported or repatriated from Pakistan since the repatriation efforts began in late 2023. This includes more than 315,000 returns in 2025, with around 51,000 forced deportations.

Human rights organizations, including UNHCR, continue to express serious concern over the pace and scope of deportations. They warn that expedited or coerced returns could violate international protections such as the principle of non‑refoulement, and could disrupt children’s education and family stability. UN agencies are calling for a more dignified, voluntary, and phased repatriation process.

Provinces most affected have set up transit centres in cities such as Peshawar and Landi Kotal to process departures. Meanwhile, officials urge all individuals holding expired PoR or ACC registrations to comply with return protocols ahead of the formal deportation start date.