ISLAMABAD: Afghan refugees, awaiting resettlement in the US, have urged the Trump administration to resume the programme, saying that they were living in Pakistan under extreme hardship and constant fear of deportation.

The statement from the Afghan P1/P2 case holders came days after the US administration abruptly halted the processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals indefinitely after the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.

“We, the Afghan allies and partners of the United States with completed P1/P2 cases, express our deep concern and urgent plea for assistance. Our cases were fully processed, and we were awaiting our flight dates when, on January 20, 2025, the programme was suspended without explanation,” the statement shared with the media said.

“For more than three years, we have been living in Pakistan under extreme hardship and constant fear,” it said, while also condemning the Washington attack.

“This was the act of a single individual, and it must never be used to collectively punish thousands of loyal Afghan allies who served the United States honourably and at great personal risk. Individual crime is not a reflection of an entire group, and we respectfully ask that this principle of justice be upheld,” the statement added.

As Pakistan and Afghanistan’s relationship deteriorates due to the terrorist outfits operating from the Afghan soil, Islamabad has stepped up the deportation of Afghan refugees, including those who have valid documents. The statement also reflected this concern, saying the authorities continued to arrest and deport Afghan nationals, including “documented US allies”.

“Even official letters from the US Embassy carry no protection, and many with valid documents are still detained and deported. If we are forced back to Afghanistan, we will be immediately identified and killed by the Taliban for our service to the United States,” the statement said, adding that thousands of cases that had already been processed were now in a state of uncertainty.

“We urgently request that the United States uphold its commitments, protect its allies, and resume the evacuation process before more innocent lives are lost,” it added. “We are not criminals. We are the allies who stood with America. Now, we ask America to stand with us,” said the statement issued on behalf of the P1/P2 case holders in Pakistan.

In a recent statement posted on its website, the UN refugee agency had also urged Pakistan to ensure that Afghans with specific protection needs are exempted from the provisions of the ‘Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan’ and allowed to remain safely in the country.

The UNHCR confirmed that more than one million Afghans have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2025. “In the right circumstances, this would be something to celebrate,” said Philippa Candler, UNHCR representative in Pakistan. “But under the current conditions, it raises more concerns than solutions.”

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2025