A significant update from Pakistan that impacts millions of Afghan refugees. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s cabinet agreed to extend the stay until June 2025 for the 1.45 million Afghan refugees who have legal status in the country and hold Proof of Registration cards.
Since last year, Islamabad told Afghan people who didn’t have permission to leave Pakistan or they could be put in jail
because relations with Kabul got worse over safety.
This decision comes at a critical time, addressing the ongoing humanitarian situation and
it aims to bring some temporary stability to these vulnerable individuals.
Let’s explore what this extension means and why Pakistan extended the legal stay of Afghan refugees…
In the busiest crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, now Pakistan has been hosting one of the largest refugee populations globally.
This measure aims to ensure they do not return to Pakistan and instead depart permanently, though they may re-enter after obtaining a visa, according to AFP reports.
Many Afghans have come to Pakistan over the years to escape continuous fighting and problems that have lasted for the decades.
About 600,000 Afghans came to Pakistan since the Taliban took control in August 2021 and enforced strict Islamic laws.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani immigration official at the Torkham border crossing said they started taking away documents, like refugee registration cards, from Afghans who were leaving.
On the other hand, Islamabad has said before that its large-scale eviction plan is necessary because of security worries and its struggling economy.
Officials said this action is putting pressure on Kabul because of increased attacks in Pakistan’s border areas with Afghanistan.
The Taliban government is accused of allowing militants to find safe places there.
Pakistan’s decision to let Afghan refugees stay another year is a big step in the refugee crisis and shows how important it is for countries to work together.
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