Afghans in Pakistan: Living in Constant Fear of Deportation and Uncertainty

Afghans like 10-year-old Nabila live in fear of deportation back to a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. With rising arrests and a looming deadline, many families are forced to hide while navigating an uncertain future.

Nabila, a ten-year-old girl whose father formerly served in the Afghan military, finds her world confined to a cramped one-bedroom home in Islamabad. "I'm scared," she sobs as her family faces the threat of deportation back to Afghanistan, a place they fled in hopes of safety. Since December, she has not attended school due to restrictions on Afghan children lacking valid Pakistani birth certificates. The fear escalates with police raids in their neighborhood, leading to deportations of Afghan families. "I heard police came looking for Afghan children," she recalls, detailing the horror of her friend's family being forcibly returned.

Pakistan’s capital and its neighboring Rawalpindi are witnessing alarming increases in deportations and detentions of undocumented Afghans, a trend noted by the United Nations. It estimates at least half of the three million Afghans in Pakistan lack proper documentation. The situation is dire, as families fear for their lives should they be sent back to Afghanistan. Some heatly criticize the US national resettlement program, which has been halted, further aggravating fears for families already living precariously.

According to Philippa Candler, the UN Refugee Agency's representative in Islamabad, the delays in relocation efforts have impressed upon the urgency of Pakistan’s stance against undocumented foreigners. In just the first half of February, 930 people were returned to Afghanistan—a figure that has doubled in mere weeks. Alarmingly, 20% of those deported possessed documentation from the UN Refugee Agency, signaling that they were entitled to protection.

The Afghan families facing this crisis express feelings of hopelessness and isolation. "I have served my country and now I'm useless," laments Hamid, Nabila's father, reflecting the despair common among undocumented Afghans. With many fearing the Taliban, which claims all Afghans can return without fear, uncertainly looms over their futures. The Pakistani government is adamant that its policies target all illegal foreign nationals, establishing fluctuating deadlines to leave the country. Currently, those without valid visas have until March 31, and some with resettlement letters have until June 30.

For many Afghans, the preferred option is to remain hidden. Neighbors offer each other shelter, implementing a form of communal support while facing mutual fears of being deported. Nabila expresses a child’s wish, "Don't kick Afghans out of their homes - we are not here by choice." The sense of uncertainty permeates their lives, compounded by separations from loved ones.

Afghans have been marginalized even further amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, triggering cross-border attacks and retaliatory actions. The "Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan" has seen over 836,000 individuals deported since it commenced in September 2023. In a distressing scenario, Ahmad found himself caught in police raids threatening other Afghans in Pakistan. His wait in a van outside his home saw him come face-to-face with a stark reality as families sought refuge.

As conditions within Pakistani detention camps raise alarms about mistreatment, families grapple with navigating a complicated visa process while facing the looming threat of checks and raids. A woman with a valid visa grieves for her sister and her children detained inside the Haji camp, highlighting the anguish and desperation gripping the Afghan community as safety remains an elusive dream.

In a sobering exchange outside the camp, an Afghan woman waiting for news reflects on a bitter truth: "If my country was safe, why would I come here to Pakistan? And even here we cannot live peacefully."