Islamabad, March 31
Pakistan law enforcement agencies have been ordered to arrest and deport thousands of Afghan refugees as the government's deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country ends on Monday, local media reported.
The authorities, particularly in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, ordered the prompt evacuation of all the Afghan refugees.
The Rawalpindi police chief has directed the superintendents of the Rawal, Potohar, and Saddar divisions to take legal action against Afghan nationals residing or working in the district, according to a report in Pakistan's leading daily, Dawn.
"We have received directions that all Afghan nationals holding ACC cards must be expelled from Rawalpindi and Islamabad," a police official told Dawn.
Additionally, the directives state that Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards who are residing in the twin cities have to leave Pakistan in line with the government policy.
The deadline set for PoR cardholders to leave the country is June 30, 2025.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative to Pakistan Philippa Candler on Sunday stated that the country's decision to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees has "shaken" the Afghan community as their hopes and dreams have been shattered.