Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has reiterated that decisions regarding who may stay in the country rest solely with Islamabad, stressing that undocumented individuals will be repatriated.
“Any people with no documentation should leave. This is what Pakistan is doing and what any other country would also do, including in Europe,” FO spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said during the weekly press briefing on Friday.
Thousands of Afghans have crossed back into Afghanistan from Pakistan in recent days, even as the country grapples with a devastating earthquake that killed over 2,200 people and destroyed villages.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi appealed to Pakistan to temporarily suspend its Foreigners Repatriation Plan in light of the humanitarian crisis.
Pakistan has hosted Afghan nationals for more than four decades, from the Soviet invasion to the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. However, citing rising militant attacks, Islamabad initiated a crackdown in 2023, leading to the return of more than 1.2 million Afghans — including over 443,000 this year alone, according to UN figures.
The latest phase targets about 1.3 million refugees holding UNHCR-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, with a September 1 deadline set for them to leave or face deportation.
Ambassador Khan also highlighted reports of police raids on Afghan refugees awaiting relocation to Germany, urging Berlin to honour its commitments. He said Pakistan and Germany would continue to strengthen relations on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill.
On security, the FO spokesperson emphasized Pakistan’s concern over terrorist safe havens inside Afghanistan, urging the Taliban to take decisive action. He dismissed allegations of Pakistani involvement in attacks across the border, clarifying that Pakistan’s military operations targeted terrorists based on intelligence.
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“Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty but expects Kabul to ensure its soil is not used for terrorist activities against us. Terrorist groups are the common enemy of regional peace, and eliminating them requires joint efforts,” Khan stated.
Khan confirmed that Pakistan had dispatched relief goods to Afghanistan for victims of the recent earthquake and expressed readiness to provide additional assistance.
