Govt Decides to Expel Afghan Refugees Holding PoR Cards from Islamabad, Rawalpindi
Islamabad: The government has decided to deport registered Afghan refugees from twin cities to Afghanistan. Letters have been sent from the Prime Minister’s House to all embassies, including the Afghan Embassy.
In the second phase, Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will be removed from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. However, they won’t be immediately expelled. The federal cabinet has allowed PoR holders to stay in Pakistan until June.
According to reports, around 2 million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan, with 1.3 million holding PoR cards and 700,000 holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC). Afghan refugees awaiting transfer to a third country will be relocated from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with international organizations and foreign embassies to facilitate their early transfer. If any Afghan refugee fails to transfer to a third country, they will be deported back to Afghanistan.
