Pakistan expels over 100,000 Afghans in 3 weeks following residency crackdown
Afghan refugees climb a truck as they prepare to depart for Afghanistan, at a holding centre in Landi Kotal, Pakistan accessed on April 22, 2025. (AFP Photo)
More than 100,000 Afghan nationals have departed Pakistan since early April, following the government’s decision to revoke residence permits, Interior Ministry officials confirmed Tuesday.
The mass exodus began April 1 when Pakistani authorities launched an expulsion campaign, labeling Afghan residents as “terrorists and criminals.” Since then, 100,529 Afghans have left the country, according to ministry data provided to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The move comes amid rising tensions between Islamabad and Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which Pakistan accuses of failing to prevent cross-border militant attacks.
Families have formed convoys heading toward the border, returning to a homeland grappling with severe humanitarian challenges. The situation drew criticism from Afghan Prime Minister Hasan Akhund, who Saturday denounced Pakistan’s “unilateral measures.”
The diplomatic strain became evident during Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Kabul, where he spent a day in discussions about the repatriation process.
Security analysts suggest the expulsions serve as leverage against the Taliban government, as Pakistan seeks stronger action against militant groups operating along their shared border.
The forced returns have raised concerns about Afghanistan’s capacity to absorb such a large influx of people while already managing a complex humanitarian crisis.
