The mass exodus of Afghan refugees is currently underway in Pakistan. According to official records, a total of 174,358 Afghan nationals have returned to Afghanistan since September17.1 However, the real figures could be higher than what Islamabad has reported so far.2
Last month, the interim government in Pakistan issued a decree stating that ‘illegal’ or ‘unregistered’ Afghan refugees must leave the country by November 1, or they would face deportation.3 As anticipated, the remaining Afghan refugees, constituting a fraction of the 1.73 million total, are now facing harassment. State authorities in Pakistan are bulldozing their properties, exacerbating their plight.
Pakistan’s draconian anti-refugee policy serves as a tactic to exert pressure on the interim Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing antiPakistan groups, such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate freely within its borders. Furthermore, since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, the Taliban has refused to acknowledge the Durand Line as the legitimate border between the two countries.4 This stance has triggered unease within the predominantly Punjabi military establishment in Pakistan.
The timing of this development is particularly opportune for Pakistan, given that the international community is preoccupied with managing the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war. Furthermore, the West has largely shown indifference toward the Afghan issue since the Taliban’s return to Kabul in August 2021. Consequently, the interim government in Islamabad, acting upon directives from the Army leadership, has justified the forced deportation of “illegal” Afghan refugees from Pakistan, citing the need to bolster the country’s security.5 This move comes at a time when the Pakistani economy is on the brink of default.
Some analysts speculate that Islamabad’s long-term strategy involves either deporting or economically marginalising even the “documented” Afghan refugees. Several reports highlight documented Afghans encountering harassment from security agencies and local ethnic groups in Punjab and Sindh. Consequently, the Pashtun population in Pakistan finds itself engulfed in insecurity and an uncertain future.6 The state-sanctioned victimisation of Afghan refugees and Pashtuns serves the Pakistani army establishment’s interests in manipulating the country’s politics.7 Rawalpindi will exercise extreme caution when picking a political leader or party in February 2024 elections.8 9
The deliberate targeting of Afghan refugees finds favour among many in Punjab and Sindh, non-Pashtun provinces. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that political leaders from these provinces have so far
remained silent, while Pashtun leaders have raised their voices in protest against the decision.
Mohsin Dawar, Chairman of National Democratic Movement (NDM), announced on November 1: “We have filed a petition in the Supreme Court under article 184(3) of the constitution challenging the directive of the Apex Committee and caretaker govt regarding the deportation of Afghans refugees, asylum seekers and others.”10 Criticising the decision, Dawar tweeted on November 5: “Pakistan is committing a crime against humanity by expelling Afghan refugees who have lived here for generations.
But now this excuse is being used to target Pakistani Pashtuns as well. Shame on all the political parties who are silent and complicit in this heinous crime.”11 The forced deportation has inflicted severe hardships upon Afghan refugees, particularly children, who are enduring inhumane living conditions and freezing temperatures in the border areas.12 13 Reports have emerged of children succumbing to the cold in refugee camps and “Afghan holding centers” since November 1.14 15 What is even more troubling is the limited reporting on the issue in Pakistan’s mainstream media outlets.16 This censorship aims to conceal the facts surrounding the forced deportation of Afghan refugees and prevent
international embarrassment for Pakistan.
To further implicate the Afghan refugees, the Pakistan government has reportedly established special deportation centres in all four provinces: Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.17 Law enforcement agencies are apprehending Afghan refugees, confiscating or destroying their properties. Individuals lacking “proper” documents, or the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) are being directed to these deportation centers, from where they are forcibly sent back to Afghanistan.18 Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Mahmood Khan Achakzai, has voiced serious concerns about the restrictions imposed on cross-border movement. He contends that these restrictions will result in “significant discontent” among Pakhtuns, particularly those residing near the border.19 20
The Taliban leadership has reacted sharply on the matter, increasing further tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Acting Interior Minister in Kabul, said that “the deportation of Afghan Refugees by Pakistan through use of force & coercion is an act against all Islamic & International principles. If Pakistan has problems, they aren’t because of IEA.”21
Similarly, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in his interview with the BBC Pashto on Nov 6 said: “Pakistan’s forced eviction of Afghan Refugees is intended to exert pressure on Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leadership to accept its demands on issues like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which is an internal problem of Pakistan.”22
Islamabad’s decision to deport Afghan refugees is a recipe for disaster. It will further divide the Pakistani society on the ethnic lines and exacerbate tensions with the Taliban.
Sources:
1 https://www.dawn.com/news/1786812/over-170000-afghans-left-pakistan-since-sept-17-officials
2 https://pakistan.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1121/files/documents/2023-11/unhcr-iom-flash-update-3-pakistan-1-
november-2023_v3.pdf
3 https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-sets-nov-1-deadline-for-illegal-immigrants-to-leave/3006812
4 https://asiatimes.com/2023/10/durand-line-old-contestations-and-new-conflicts/
5 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/oct/14/afghans-living-in-fear-pakistan-to-deport-17m
6 https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/6/kill-me-here-but-i-am-not-going-back-an-afghan-refugee-in-pakistan
7 https://arynews.tv/pakistan-minister-blames-afghan-nationals-for-rising-terror-activities/
8 https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-army-backs-governments-deadline-on-deportation-of-illegal-foreigners2450340-2023-10-18
9 https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Pakistan-sets-Feb.-8-election-date-amid-economic-crisis
10 https://twitter.com/mjdawar/status/1719677809663328614
11 https://twitter.com/mjdawar/status/1721148580944384226
12 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-migrants-expelled-pakistan-rcna123765
13 https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/11/03/713961/Pakistan-s-crackdown-against-Afghan-refugees
14 https://twitter.com/ulusyar3/status/1721783871262298588
15 https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1721618503080312995
16 https://twitter.com/a_siab/status/1721786098005807117
17 https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-moves-to-create-deportation-centers-as-afghan-migrant-deadlinenears/7324572.html#:~:text=Official%20sources%20told%20VOA%20that,Rawalpindi%20and%20Karachi%20districts%2C%
20respectively.
18 https://www.ariananews.af/pakistan-sets-up-deportation-centers-as-afghan-migrant-deadline-looms/
19 https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1126383-pkmap-chief-laments-undue-arrests-amid-deportations
20 https://voicepk.net/2023/11/chaman-border-protests/
21 https://twitter.com/MJalal0093/status/1720790004996124907
22 https://twitter.com/amanafghan111/status/1721546936161902715
