ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said on Friday that Afghan refugees in Pakistan will not be deported by force from his province. He made this clear during a press conference held in Islamabad.
“No Afghan refugee will be sent back from KP against their will,” Gandapur stated. “We oppose any kind of forced expulsion of Afghan nationals.” His comments came as the federal government began repatriating undocumented Afghans and those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC). The deadline for voluntary return ended on March 31, 2025.
Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for almost 50 years. Though many have returned home in recent years, over 2.1 million still live across KP and other regions. The government had set March 31 as the cut-off for all undocumented Afghan nationals and ACC holders, citing security concerns and increasing terrorism incidents.
Gandapur told reporters that KP shares deep cultural and historical ties with Afghan refugees in Pakistan. He assured that any Afghan national willing to return voluntarily would be supported and assisted with dignity.
Responding to a question, the chief minister said dialogue was the only way forward with Afghanistan. He criticized the federal government for delaying the approval of the terms of reference (TORs) needed to begin official talks with the Afghan Taliban-led interim government.
The KP government had earlier proposed sending a provincial jirga to Kabul. The purpose was to address sensitive issues like cross-border attacks and the use of Afghan territory by militants. Gandapur said peace in the region depended on stability in Afghanistan. He also claimed that the PTI had clear solutions to combat terrorism in the country.
The CM rejected accusations from the ruling coalition. He called their claims of terrorist resettlement and militancy revival “highly irresponsible.”
According to official figures, about 2.1 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan are currently living in the country, both registered and unregistered. Sources in the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) say that 1.4 million of these are legally registered, while 800,000 have ACCs. The government, however, claims the total number is closer to three million. All are expected to be repatriated this year under the illegal foreign nationals deportation plan.
Afghan nationals in Pakistan fall into four distinct categories.
The first group includes refugees who arrived decades ago due to unrest in Afghanistan. These individuals were given legal status and issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards in 2007. Around 1.3 million people fall under this group. Their cards have been renewed over the years, with the current validity ending on June 30, 2025.
The second group includes 800,000 Afghans who were issued Afghan Citizen Cards in 2016. These cardholders are now being sent back as part of the government’s removal efforts.
The third category includes Afghans who crossed into Pakistan after the Taliban took control in 2021. While the Pakistani authorities claim that 600,000 arrived, the UNHCR confirms only 200,000 were officially registered as asylum seekers under international protection.
The fourth and final group consists of undocumented Afghan nationals. These individuals hold no legal papers, PoR, or ACC status. Some among them have obtained Pakistani identity cards through fake marriages or forged documents. The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has been actively cancelling such fraudulent IDs under its National Verification and Renewal Drive. These people are now also considered illegal residents.
The situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan remains a critical issue. CM Gandapur’s remarks reflect growing concern over how the deportation process should be handled with humanity and respect.
