Islamabad, July 5, 2025: The federal administration on Friday instructed relevant authorities to avoid any measures against Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, while considering the possibility of extending the document’s validity, according to an official announcement.
“The matter regarding the extension in validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) is under consideration by the federal government,” the notification stated, directing all institutions and agencies to avoid “harassment or adverse action” against registered Afghan refugees until a final decision is reached.
Some sources suggest this move came after a quiet request from China. In recent months, Beijing has stepped in as a key mediator between Pakistan and Afghanistan, a role both Islamabad and the Taliban appear to have accepted.
Pakistan currently gives shelter to more than 2.8 million Afghan refugees who escaped years of unrest in Afghanistan. Among them, nearly 1.3 million hold PoR cards, while around 813,000 possess Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), which were introduced in 2017 to provide temporary legal recognition.
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Earlier this year, the interior ministry instructed all “undocumented migrants” and ACC holders to exit the nation by March 31, cautioning that deportations would start from April 1. Since then, officials have sent back around 1.3 million Afghan nationals under the ongoing deportation initiative that began in November 2023.
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However, the latest government instruction provides a temporary relief to PoR cardholders, amid rising global concerns over the treatment of Afghan refugees.
“Of the nearly three million Afghan nationals in Pakistan, only a fraction have valid documentation,” Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik informed the parliamentary gathering. He mentioned that the government is examining documentation strategies as part of a wider review of refugee policies.
Pakistan has offered refuge to Afghan migrants for more than forty years, but recent security threats and economic difficulties have led to stricter border controls and immigration regulations.
