Pakistan's Decisive Move: Afghan Refugees Ordered Out Amidst Tensions

The Afghanistan embassy in Pakistan has warned of government plans to remove Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, citing rising tensions between the two nations. Over 18,000 Afghans returned home from these cities in January due to fears of arrest, according to a report by IOM.

Amid increasing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Afghanistan embassy in Pakistan has issued a stark warning that Afghan refugees in Islamabad and Rawalpindi face expulsion. The embassy claims that refugees have experienced arrests and police orders to vacate, as reported by Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

This warning comes as Islamabad criticizes Kabul for not controlling cross-border attacks. According to an embassy statement, the crackdown on Afghan nationals began without formal communication to the embassy, as noted by Al Jazeera. Officials from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs allegedly confirmed a plan to deport all Afghan refugees from the country soon.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that over 18,000 Afghans have already returned from Islamabad and Rawalpindi within January alone. Between September 2023 and now, 824,568 individuals have returned to Afghanistan, largely due to fears of arrest and economic difficulties in Pakistan. Their return has been facilitated through major border crossings, including Torkham and Chaman.