Pakistan expels 11,000 Afghans in April

Pakistan has ramped up deportations of Afghan refugees in April 2025, forcing more than 11,000 people across the border since April 1st, with thousands more facing imminent expulsion. The crackdown follows expired voluntary return deadlines, with Pakistani authorities now enforcing strict measures against undocumented Afghans throughout the country.

The Pakistani government has issued an ultimatum requiring Afghan nationals awaiting third-country resettlement to be relocated by April 30 or face deportation. This directive particularly affects those who fled following the Taliban's 2021 return to power, many of whom had worked with international organizations and now face potential persecution upon return.

Human rights organizations have expressed alarm about the dangers deportees face in Afghanistan, especially women's rights activists and former government employees. Reports document cases of arbitrary arrests and harassment by Pakistani authorities before expulsion.

Over 800,000 undocumented Afghans who fled after the Taliban takeover live in Pakistan, alongside 1.4 million formally registered refugees with UN-issued residence cards who have until June 30 to depart. Another 40,000 Afghans await resettlement to third countries, including approximately 15,000 hoping to reach the United States - though their status remains uncertain after the Trump administration's suspension of the US Refugee Admissions Program.

Pakistan has already forcibly deported more than 800,000 undocumented Afghans since 2023, according to UN data. Deportees return to a country facing severe humanitarian and economic crises, with many struggling to access basic necessities.

The deportation campaign has intensified amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban of harboring Pakistani militants.