Pakistan threatens to deport Afghan refugees if U.S. resettlement not approved

Pakistan Deputy PM Dar warns Afghan refugees face deportation if US resettlement denied, amid uncertain future.

Pakistan has warned that Afghan refugees not accepted for resettlement by the United States would be treated as illegal immigrants and deported, according to a media report.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, in an interview with Turkish broadcaster TRT, said that while Pakistan was open to negotiations with the US on the matter, refugees whose resettlement is denied would face deportation.

“We will be examining the issue and will negotiate," the Dawn newspaper quoted Dar as saying in the interview. “However, in principle, if any refugee was meant to be taken by another country after due process — no matter the timeline — and if it doesn’t happen and the country refuses, that person will be considered an illegal immigrant in Pakistan.” “We may be forced to send such refugees back to their original country, which is Afghanistan.” Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, approximately 6,00,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan, fearing persecution. Many sought resettlement in third countries, particularly the United States. While about 80,000 Afghans have been successfully relocated, more than 40,000 remain in limbo.

A significant portion — around 25,000 — had been expected to be resettled in the US. However, President Donald Trump’s abrupt suspension of the resettlement plan left roughly 20,000 Afghans uncertain about their future in Pakistan.

Trump’s executive order on January 20 mandated that the secretaries of Homeland Security and state submit a report within 90 days on whether resuming refugee admissions under the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP) would align with US interests.

However, reports suggest that the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, which oversees Afghan resettlement in the US, has been instructed to develop plans for closure by April, further dashing hopes for those awaiting relocation.

The Afghans slated for resettlement in third countries comprised a diverse group of individuals who had risked their lives to support the international community’s efforts in Afghanistan.