ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that Pakistan would no longer allow Afghan nationals without valid documentation to remain in the country indefinitely, marking a significant shift in the country’s long-standing policy towards Afghan refugees.
Chairing a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir and senior civil and military officials, the prime minister said Pakistan’s hospitality had been extended for decades but could not continue indefinitely.
“Only those holding valid visas may remain. The rest will be repatriated,” Sharif said, adding that the government had exhausted all channels of communication with Kabul to address security concerns linked to undocumented Afghan nationals.
Pakistan currently hosts millions of Afghans, many of whom arrived during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s and later during the US-led war in Afghanistan.
However, officials have recently blamed a surge in militant attacks on Afghan-based or Afghan-linked groups operating inside Pakistan.
The prime minister said recent investigations into terrorist incidents revealed that some of the perpetrators had entered from Afghan territory or were Afghan nationals residing illegally.
“Pakistan has sacrificed thousands of lives in the fight against terrorism,” he said. “We have sought cooperation from Afghan authorities and urged action on this front, but the response has been insufficient. Now, decisive measures are necessary.”
The meeting reviewed the progress of the repatriation plan, which targets undocumented Afghan nationals across the country. Officials informed the forum that as of October 16, more than 1.47 million Afghans had been repatriated in phases.
The prime minister said the decision was not aimed at any single community but was part of a broader effort to enforce national laws and protect Pakistan’s security interests.
“This is not a question of turning our backs on anyone,” he said. “But our sovereignty and security come first. Laws must apply equally to all.”
Authorities briefed the meeting on logistical preparations, including the opening of additional border exit points to facilitate an orderly return.
Officials also said operations were underway to identify individuals or entities sheltering undocumented migrants in violation of Pakistani laws.
The meeting was attended by the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the recently elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declined to attend, citing his request to meet former prime minister Imran Khan, currently incarcerated, as a precondition.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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