📷 Image Credits: Al Jazeera English
In a recent development, Pakistan has announced that it will extend the validity of Proof of Registration cards for 1.45 million Afghan refugees for one year. The decision comes after a senior UN official urged the country to halt its deportation plan. Following a cabinet meeting, the federal cabinet approved the extension of the validity of PoR cards until June 30, 2025. This move will allow Afghan refugees with proper documentation to legally reside in Pakistan for an additional year. Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, with the latest influx starting in August 2021 when the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. The country currently hosts nearly three million Afghans, with close to 2.4 million possessing some form of legal documentation. Of these, almost 1.5 million hold a UNHCR Proof of Residence card, and another 800,000 possess an Afghan Citizenship Card (ACC). Pakistan’s repatriation program, launched last November, aimed at returning millions of Afghans, regardless of their legal status. However, the program has since been suspended, with more than 600,000 refugees returning to Afghanistan voluntarily. The extension of the PoR cards provides relief to Afghan refugees, allowing them to legally reside in Pakistan until 2025. The decision highlights the challenges faced by Pakistan and the need for the international community to recognize the country’s burden in hosting a large refugee population. The extension of the PoR cards will ensure that Afghan refugees in Pakistan can continue to access essential services and live without fear of deportation. The temporary pause on deportations and the calm at border crossings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces provide a sense of relief to Afghan families residing in Pakistan.
