Pakistan’s efforts to deport undocumented Afghan nationals remain resolute, but many Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province remain steadfast in their decision to stay. Pakistan began this effort back in October 2023 with plans of expelling over 3 million Afghans by year’s end; yet, implementation has met resistance and logistical hurdles such as those seen in Peshawar. For this article please click HERE AP News > Star Tribune for full story (if available).
Akber Khan, an Afghan who has run his restaurant in Peshawar for decades, views Peshawar as more than just a place of residence–it is home. “We have built our lives here,” Khan noted, underscoring how deep-rooted Afghan connections are throughout the region. Star Tribune +3 AP News =+3 Judetean Arab News (subscription required)
Numerous factors influence Afghan refugees’ reluctance to leave. Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic ties between Afghans and local Pashtun populations foster a sense of belonging; mountainous terrain makes deportation orders hard to enforce; local authorities that support former Prime Minister Imran Khan have often shown resistance when it comes to following central government directives for deportations orders.
Situation is further exacerbated by mixed-status families in which some members possess legal documentation while others do not, creating ethical and logistical challenges for any efforts at mass deportation efforts.
Human rights organizations have voiced grave concern about the potential repercussions of forced deportations. Many Afghan refugees, particularly women and activists who fear persecution from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan upon return, fear being subject to forced deportations back home and Amnesty International has denounced these practices as violations against international refugee protections.
As Pakistan continues its crackdown, Afghan refugees in Pakistan’s northwest demonstrate the complexity of displacement as well as underlying bonds that bind communities across borders.