Pakistan announces formal repatriation of Afghan refugees to begin on September 1

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 6 : The Pakistan government on Wednesday announced that the formal repatriation and deportation of over 1.3 million Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will begin on September 1, Dawn reported.

This decision comes after the interior ministry declared that PoR cardholders, who were previously allowed to reside in Pakistan without visas, became unlawful residents once their cards expired on June 30.

In a recent letter, the interior ministry outlined the implementation details of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) to provincial authorities, including chief secretaries and police chiefs, as per Dawn.

The letter stated that while voluntary returns can start immediately, the formal repatriation and deportation process will commence on September 1.

"It has been decided that the voluntary return of PoR cardholders shall commence forthwith, while the formal repatriation and deportation process will take effect from September 1, 2025," the letter read.

According to Dawn, the government has also clarified that the repatriation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders will continue as per the earlier decision under the IFRP.

In the letter, the Ministry of Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON were instructed to provide databases of PoR cardholders to provincial, divisional and district committees. The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will facilitate the deregistration of returning Afghans at transit areas and border terminals, with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) supporting repatriation at designated border crossings.

Provincial governments and relevant agencies have been directed to map all PoR cardholders and devise detailed action plans for repatriation. The plan includes setting up designated transit areas for deportees, arranging transportation, and making financial arrangements to facilitate the process.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) took place on Monday to discuss the IFRP's implementation.

The committee directed district administrations, police and Special Branch to form teams and hold jirgas with Afghan elders to encourage voluntary repatriation. Additionally, deputy commissioners across the provinces were tasked with remapping PoR cardholders.

The PSC decided that Nadra and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) should re-establish the Peshawar and Landi Kotal transit points to full operational capacity.

The forum also recommended that the Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees de-notify the refugee camps, as they no longer serve any purpose. It requested the Commissionerate to provide details on registration categories and the number of individuals still residing in the camps.

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