Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Face Imminent Deportation Amidst Uncertainty

With a looming deportation deadline, Afghan families in Pakistan grapple with fear and uncertainty as they prepare for potential repatriation to a volatile Afghanistan, exacerbating tensions stemming from recent violence and instability.

In a small refugee settlement on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Afghan families gathered to mark Eid al-Adha, yet the mood was far from festive. Instead of celebrations, there was only quiet dread as the deadline for their deportation approached on Monday. Thousands of Afghans who have lived in Pakistan for generations now face an uncertain and potentially perilous return to Taliban-led Afghanistan.

Since the Soviet invasion in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan, fleeing violence and chaos in their homeland. Over the years, many have returned to Afghanistan, but continuous conflict and political instability have led to recurrent waves of displacement. The latest surge traces back to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, which followed the fall of the U.S.-backed government of Ashraf Ghani. A significant number of these individuals had hoped for resettlement in the United States, yet many find themselves facing a forced return just months after a recent announcement of a deportation deadline.

Community leader Haji Abdullah Bukhari voiced the anguish shared among many refugees, emphasizing that uprooting lives cultivated over decades within Pakistan is both impractical and inhumane. “As a fellow Muslim nation and a neighbor, Pakistan should show compassion and grant refugees more time to prepare,” he stressed.

The impetus behind Pakistan’s ongoing deportations lies in escalating tensions with the Taliban, which Islamabad accuses of harboring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) responsible for vicious attacks within Pakistan. While the Taliban reject these allegations, the situation continues to deteriorate, leaving refugees in a precarious predicament, caught between the political machinations of two nations.