Afghan Refugees in Karachi Face Uncertain Future Amid Deportation Deadline
In a refugee settlement on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Afghan families gathered on Sunday to observe the festival of Eid al-Fitr. However, this year’s celebration was overshadowed by a pervasive sense of apprehension. As Monday approaches, thousands of Afghans who have made Pakistan their home for generations are bracing themselves for a looming deportation deadline, facing an uncertain and potentially perilous future.
Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan, escaping relentless waves of violence and instability. Over the decades, many have returned to their homeland, but ongoing conflict and political upheaval continue to drive hundreds of thousands back into exile. The latest surge in displacement followed the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, which marked the collapse of Ashraf Ghani’s U.S.-backed government. Among those affected are refugees who were promised resettlement in the United States, leaving them in a state of limbo.
Now, they confront the grim reality of mandatory repatriation, with a March 31 deadline looming—an announcement made only last month, which has ignited widespread fear and anxiety within the community. “As a fellow Muslim nation and a neighbor, Pakistan should show compassion and grant refugees more time to prepare,” stated Haji Abdullah Bukhari, a community leader in Karachi. “Uprooting their lives in just a few days is impossible. Many have spent decades here, and now they are being forced to return to a country they barely recognize.”
The ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan is rooted in the growing frustration with the Taliban administration, which Pakistani officials accuse of harboring militant groups, particularly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (T.T.P.), known for orchestrating deadly attacks inside Pakistan. While the Taliban vehemently deny these allegations, tensions between the two nations continue to escalate, leaving the future of Afghan refugees hanging precariously in the balance.
