UN asks Pakistan to stop sending refugees back after deadly quake in Afghanistan

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on Pakistan to temporarily halt the mass deportation of Afghan refugees in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan that has claimed nearly 1,500 lives.

Since the expiration of the deadline for Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, thousands have crossed back into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Despite the humanitarian crisis triggered by the quake, the repatriation drive has continued.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, in a statement on X, appealed to Islamabad to pause its repatriation plan for undocumented foreigners. “Given the circumstances, I appeal to the Government of Pakistan to pause the implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” he wrote.

His appeal came as rescue teams in Afghanistan struggled to reach survivors of Sunday night’s 6.0-magnitude earthquake.

According to Afghan authorities, at least 1,469 people have been killed and more than 3,700 injured. Grandi added that the quake has affected over half a million people in eastern Afghanistan, stressing that international aid,  including from Pakistan, is “vital and welcome.”

Read more: Afghanistan earthquake death toll crosses 1,400, thousands injured

Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for more than four decades, sheltering those displaced during the Soviet invasion, civil wars, and the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

However, in 2023 Islamabad launched a large-scale crackdown on Afghan nationals, citing a surge in militancy and cross-border violence.

The UN estimates that over 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to leave Pakistan since last year, including more than 443,000 in 2024 alone.

The current drive also targets some 1.3 million PoR-card holders, with Pakistan setting September 1 as the deadline for their voluntary return before facing arrest and deportation.