• Official says Afghan repatriation process delayed due to Eid holidays
• UNHCR spokesperson says some ACC holders may require ‘protection’, urges Islamabad to view their cases sympathetically

PESHAWAR: The second phase of sending back Afghan refugees is set to begin in earnest from today (Thursday) following the expiration of a government deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country voluntarily.

The government had set March 31 as the last date for ACC holders to return to their country and refused to budge despite calls from the international community to extend the deadline.

“Although the deadline was March 31, the provincial government exte­nded it till April 2 keeping in view Eidul Fitr. Now, phase 2 will begin from [Thursday] and we have established camps, one each at Landi Kotal and Nasir Bagh Road,” a senior official from Afghan Commi­ssionerate in Peshawar told Dawn.

The two-day relaxation for Eid led to some confusion among official circles, with some sources suggesting that the deadline for repatriation had been extended.

The AFP news agency reported the deadline has been extended until the beginning of next week due to Eid holidays, while the Associated Press claimed that arrests and deportations had been paused until April 10.

Law enforcement sources in the twin cities also claimed that the deadline for Afghans’ repatriation had been quietly extended to April 10, and nothing was conveyed officially.

But an interior ministry official denied this claim, maintaining that there had been no extension.

UNHCR concerns

According to official statistics, a total of 69,494 families — including 473,397 individuals, of which 157,513 were men, 111,381 were women and 197,821 children — have been sent back to Afghanistan since September 2023.

UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi told Dawn the UN agency was concerned regarding the government’s directive, as among the Afghan Citizen Cardholders, there might be individuals requiring international protection.

“In that light, we are urging the government [view] their situation through a humanitarian lens. We also call for engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan so that the returns can be dignified and voluntary,” Mr Afridi told Dawn.

Meanwhile, Afghan Mini­ster for Refugees and Reparation Mawlavi Abdul Kabir called for the humane treatment for refugees, especially in light of reports of mistreatment of Afghans by border nations, including instances where individuals holding legal visas were also deported.

In a statement, the interim Afghan government also reiterated its call for the voluntary return of Afghan migrants and urged Pakistan and Iran to stop forced deportations.

Mohammad Asghar in Rawalpindi and Iftikhar A. Khan in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2025