Pakistan on Thursday urged the international community to accelerate the resettlement process for thousands of Afghan nationals currently in transit within its borders, cautioning that those not relocated by host countries by April 30 could face forced deportation.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry made the announcement in the wake of the U.S. refugee admissions program being put on hold — a decision that has left more than 25,000 Afghans, many of whom were awaiting relocation abroad, in a state of uncertainty.
Chaudhry made it clear that Pakistan is unlikely to push back the April 30 deadline, which had earlier been shared with host countries as the final date for either repatriation or resettlement of Afghan nationals.
The situation is likely to add to the growing apprehension among Afghans who fled the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Many of them had worked with U.S. military forces, international bodies, aid organisations, media outlets or human rights groups and have since been residing in Pakistan while awaiting relocation to the United States or other Western countries.