Minister of State for Interior, Senator Talal Chaudhry, on Thursday made it clear that there will be no extension in the deadline for the repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals.
‘Afghans are our brothers, but certain decisions had to be made based on ground realities,’ he said during a press conference here in Islamabad.
The Minister emphasized that all foreign nationals are respected, but the decision to repatriate them was taken in light of the country’s security situation.
He explained that the policy for foreign nationals’ repatriation was formulated on October 30, 2023. In the first phase, undocumented foreigners were sent back.
In the second phase, which began on February 13, 2025, the federal cabinet decided to repatriate holders of Afghan Citizen Cards, giving them a deadline of March 31, 2025. The third phase is now underway, targeting Afghan Card holders.
He confirmed that the repatriation process of undocumented foreigners is ongoing and reiterated that there will be no extension in the timeline. So far, a total of 857,157 undocumented foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card holders have been sent back to their home countries, he added.
Talal Chaudhry shared that 815,247 Afghan Citizen Card holders are currently registered in Pakistan. Additionally, the Proof of Registration (PoR) program, which ran from 2006 to 2023, registered 1,569,522 Afghan nationals in Pakistan.
He reiterated, ‘Afghans are our brothers and we hold great respect for them, but decisions have to be made in light of the current situation. Many incidents of terrorism in Pakistan have been linked to Afghan nationals.’
He also pointed out that a significant amount of narcotics entering Pakistan originates from Afghanistan, and that the proceeds are often tied to terrorist activities.
The Minister dismissed the misinformation being spread regarding the repatriation policy, stating that the Ministry of Interior has taken all provincial governments on board.
He said Pakistan has launched the “One Document Regime,” under which foreign nationals, including Afghans, can enter, live, and conduct business in Pakistan legally through proper visa channels.
‘There is no longer any space for illegal residency in Pakistan,’ he said. Transit points were established across provinces to accommodate Afghan citizens during the repatriation process, providing shelter and food facilities.
The Minister stressed that the government is fully committed to implementing the One Document Regime for all nationalities. ‘Just as western borders are regulated, the eastern borders will be similarly managed. This 2,600 km long frontier is a challenge, especially due to security threats,’ he added.
He concluded by saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the Afghan government to ensure a proper mechanism for the repatriation process, including registration by both Pakistani and Afghan authorities.