For over forty years, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan nationals who fled war, foreign occupation, and prolonged instability. This humanitarian support continued despite terrorism, economic pressures, and minimal international burden sharing. Pakistan provided Proof of Registration cards (PoR) and Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), granting repeated extensions on humanitarian grounds even after these documents expired.
Today, circumstances in Afghanistan have changed. A single regime now controls most of the country, and the reasons that originally triggered mass migration—war and collapse of state authority—no longer apply. Pakistan emphasizes that regulating undocumented stay in this context is lawful, moral, and consistent with sovereignty. Criticism should recognize Pakistan’s four-decade generosity.
Decades of Hosting Were Purely Humanitarian
Pakistan never acted abruptly or harshly. Extensions to expired Proof of Registration cards (PoR) and Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) were discretionary acts of goodwill, not legal entitlement. These measures allowed Afghans to remain lawfully despite the absence of a permanent refugee framework and Pakistan not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
No country can host millions of undocumented foreign nationals indefinitely once the primary cause of displacement—war—has ceased. Pakistan’s policy restores immigration control while maintaining dignity and humanitarian principles.
Voluntary Return and International Responsibility
The current process targets undocumented migrants only, is phased, publicly announced, and focused on voluntary return with logistical facilitation. Repatriation is return to one’s homeland under changed conditions, not forcible displacement or punishment.
Pakistan emphasizes that the responsibility for reintegration lies with Afghan authorities and the international community, not Pakistan alone. Sustainable solutions require development aid, livelihood support, and international assistance inside Afghanistan. Pakistan remains committed to humanitarian values, regional stability, and dignity in return.
Read more :https://htnworld.com/pakistan-afghan-refugee-humanitarian-response/
