Pakistan is preparing to deport 3 million Afghans. The deadline for illegal Afghan residents in the country to leave voluntarily will expire on April 10. After the deadline, they are planned to be forcibly deported.

Pakistan has taken steps to deport 3 million illegal Afghan residents in the country.

The deadline for Afghan residents in the capital Islamabad and surrounding areas to leave the country voluntarily, which was supposed to end on April 1, has been extended until April 10 due to Ramadan.

After April 10, Afghan residents who do not leave the country voluntarily will be detained and deported forcibly. Following the Taliban’s takeover of power in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan instead of returning to their country. However, the Pakistan government no longer continues to accept these migrants fleeing the security and living conditions in Afghanistan. The International Organization for Migration stated that 845,000 Afghans were forced to leave Pakistan in the last 18 months. The Pakistan government announced that Afghans with residence permits in third countries will also be deported.

TRUMP REVOKED PERMITS Some Afghans expressed their desire to stay in Pakistan, claiming they do not want to leave the country. However, the Pakistan government will continue to implement this deportation decision for illegal Afghan residents. The United States had granted temporary residence permits to Afghans working with the US government after the Taliban took control. However, former President Donald Trump revoked these permits in January. Currently, the situation of 20,000 Afghans remains uncertain. Criticism of Pakistan’s deportation decision continues to come from the Taliban and human rights organizations.