Govt orders Afghan citizen card holders to leave Pakistan by March 31

The Pakistani government has announced that Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders must leave the country by March 31, 2025, as part of the ongoing Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP).

Deportations will commence from April 1, 2025, for those who do not leave voluntarily.

The government reiterated its commitment to humane treatment while ensuring that foreigners in Pakistan comply with legal requirements.

According to UNHCR data, Pakistan currently hosts approximately 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, while 800,000 individuals possess Afghan Citizenship Cards (ACC).

An estimated 600,000 Afghan nationals remain undocumented.

Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, around 700,000 additional Afghans have entered Pakistan, with many seeking relocation to other countries.

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Authorities have also mandated that registered Afghan refugees living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi must obtain permission from the Deputy Commissioner starting January 1, 2025.

The federal government has outlined plans to relocate Afghan nationals from these cities by March next year.