Pakistan plans to expel 3 million Afghans from the country this year

Pakistan to expel 3 million Afghans, deadline for voluntary departure expired, drawing criticism from rights groups and U.N.

Pakistan plans to expel 3 million Afghans from the country this year, as a deadline for them to voluntarily leave the capital and surrounding areas expired on Monday (March 31, 2025).

It’s the latest phase of a nationwide crackdown launched in October 2023 to expel foreigners living in Pakistan illegally, mostly Afghans. The campaign has drawn fire from rights groups, the Taliban government, and the U.N.

Arrests and deportations were due to begin April 1 but were pushed back to April 10 because of the Eid al-Fitr holidays marking the end of Ramadan, according to government documents seen by The Associated Press.

About 8,45,000 Afghans have left Pakistan over the past 18 months, figures from the International Organization for Migration show.

Pakistan says three million Afghans remain. Of these, 13,44,584 hold Proof of Registration cards, while 8,07,402 have Afghan Citizen Cards. There are a further one million Afghans who are in the country illegally because they have no paperwork.

Pakistan said it will make sure that Afghans do not return once deported.

Authorities wanted Afghan Citizen cardholders to leave the capital Islamabad and Rawalpindi city by March 31 and return to Afghanistan voluntarily or be deported.