The Pakistan government has announced March 31, 2025, as the final deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country voluntarily. This directive is part of a broader plan to repatriate all illegal foreigners, according to an official document leaked to the media on Friday night.
The document outlines a multi-phase relocation strategy, particularly targeting ACC holders residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. These individuals will be relocated and sent back to Afghanistan, including those awaiting resettlement in third countries. The move follows deteriorating diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, primarily over security concerns.
Deportation to Begin from April 1
According to the document, the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP) has been active since November 1, 2023, and is now being extended to ACC holders.
“All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence with effect from April 1, 2025,” the directive states.
Officials emphasized that those returning would be provided with food and healthcare assistance and assured that no one would be mistreated during the repatriation process.
Impact on Afghan Refugees
The decision is expected to affect over 800,000 documented Afghan refugees holding ACCs, in addition to thousands of undocumented Afghans. Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans for decades, many of whom fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
The ruling could also complicate the resettlement of approximately 15,000 Afghans who were awaiting relocation to the United States. Their future remains uncertain after President Donald Trump recently halted the US Refugee Admission Programme, putting their planned relocation at risk.
The Pakistani government, however, defended its move, stating, “Pakistan has been a gracious host and continues to fulfill its commitments and obligations as a responsible state.”
The directive further reiterated that all foreigners wishing to stay in Pakistan must comply with legal requirements and adhere to the country’s Constitution.