Pakistan has extended the stay of nearly 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees but at the same time determined to continue the mass deportation of “illegal immigrants.
Officials in Pakistan have said that Afghan refugees in Pakistan with Proof of Registration (POR) cards will be able to stay in the country until June 30, 2025. The same was announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s fews days back and now the officials have started work on it.
The fate of 1.45 million refugees whose PORs expired at the end of June had previously been in doubt, with many fearing they’d be deported.
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for refugees visited Pakistan few days ago. During his meeting with senior Pakistani officials, the UN higher commissioner urged to extend the PoR card and let the refugees live in the host country with mental satisfaction.
The UN high commissioner Filippo Grandi expressed his pleasure over the decision of Pakistani government.
“Glad that Pakistan’s tradition of hospitality is maintained,” Filippo Grandi wrote on his X after hearing the decision.
On the matter of deportation of illegal immigrants, CNN reported quoting Mumtaz Baloch, spokesperson of Pakistan’s foreign ministry, that the “(Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan) remains in place and is being implemented in an orderly and phased manner
