In brief
The Pakistani government has ordered Afghan refugees to leave the capital by March 31, threatening deportation unless they find new placements. This follows a suspension of U.S. refugee admissions, increasing uncertainty for Afghans who supported Western efforts in their home country.
Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees currently residing in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, have been ordered to relocate by March 31. This directive is part of the government's larger strategy to apply pressure on Western nations to expedite refugee admissions. Many of these refugees had come to Islamabad due to its embassies and refugee agencies, seeking asylum in other countries.The announced relocation stipulates that those unable to secure new placements could be deported back to Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban control. This has fueled concerns for the safety of these individuals, especially the 15,000 who had applied for resettlement in the United States, a process now complicated by a recent executive order from President Trump that halts all refugee admissions.Previously, many refugees had worked with U.S. missions and NGOs during the Western effort in Afghanistan, while others are connected to those individuals. There are fears that the U.S. is failing to support its wartime allies amid these challenges. Human rights advocates, including the U.N. refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration, stress that many refugees, particularly women, minorities, journalists, and activists, risk persecution if deported to Afghanistan. They are urging Pakistan to adhere to human rights standards during this transition.
