Afghan Refugee Repatriation Drive 2025: What’s Happening and Why It Matters
🚨 Background: Pakistan’s Decision to Repatriate Afghan Refugees
In early August 2025, Pakistan began the repatriation of registered Afghan refugees, intensifying a process that has already seen over 800,000 unregistered Afghans expelled in recent months. The government has announced a September 2025 deadline for all Afghan nationals—legal or not—to leave the country. The move has triggered international concern, especially from UNHCR and other humanitarian bodies, over the safety and rights of returnees.
The Pakistani government argues the drive is a matter of national security, citing rising crime rates, border control issues, and concerns about militant hideouts in refugee communities. However, critics claim the move is politically timed and undermines decades of hospitality shown by the people of Pakistan.
🌍 Humanitarian Impact and Global Reaction
The mass deportation policy has drawn global condemnation. International rights organizations have warned that forcibly returning Afghans—especially those fleeing Taliban persecution—violates international law and puts lives at risk. Many Afghan families, some of whom have been in Pakistan for generations, are being forced to leave behind their businesses, homes, and community ties.
The Afghan interim government has also voiced frustration, stating it lacks the infrastructure to reintegrate such a large number of returnees in a short period. Camps along the border are already overwhelmed, and there are fears of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan's eastern provinces.
🧠 What's Next? Future of Refugee Policy in Pakistan
As the September deadline nears, tension continues to grow at refugee camps and in host cities like Peshawar, Quetta, and Karachi. Civil society organizations in Pakistan are calling for a more humane approach, such as phased repatriation and protection for vulnerable groups including women, children, and minorities.
Whether the government will reconsider aspects of its policy remains uncertain, but the situation has become a major test for Pakistan’s international image, diplomatic relationships, and its historical role as a refuge for Afghan civilians.
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