From America to Australia, Spain to the UK, the deportation of illegal immigrants is a routine state function. Even India and Iran—Pakistan’s regional neighbours—have conducted deportations with little scrutiny. The world watched silently. No outrage. No breaking news. No humanitarian alarm bells.
But when Pakistan, after generously hosting millions of Afghans for over four decades, initiates a phased, lawful return plan, the reaction is starkly different. Why?
Under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, launched in October 2023, Pakistan began a dignified return process for undocumented Afghan nationals, including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. The voluntary return phase concluded on March 31, 2025, and enforcement resumed from April 1, 2025. By late 2024, nearly 800,000 Afghans had already returned home.
As of the latest statistics (September 2023 – April 2025), a total of 71,438 families, comprising 476,159 individuals, have been repatriated.
The repatriation occurred from across Pakistan, including various cities of Punjab province and capital territory:
- Islamabad: 129 families
- Faisalabad: 143 families
- Hafizabad: 68 families
- Narowal: 52 families
- Multan: 48 families
- Sheikhupura: 86 families
Compare this to the United States, where the Trump administration — since resuming office in January 2025 — has arrested 113,000 migrants and deported over 100,000 as part of its campaign promise to tackle illegal immigration.
In the United Kingdom, more than 24,000 migrants have been returned since July 2024, under new migration enforcement policies aimed at curbing illegal entry.
India and Iran have forcibly deported Afghan refugees with limited rights and minimal protections — often without any international pushback.
So if deportation is a standard international practice, why is Pakistan held to a different standard?
This is not hostility — it is a shared responsibility.
Also See: Pakistan Hosts 2.9 Million Afghan Refugees, Faces Challenges
Pakistan has stood by the Afghan people in every difficult hour — during war, poverty, and exile. But international law also affirms every nation’s right to regulate its borders and safeguard national security. Repatriation — when carried out lawfully, humanely, and in coordination — is not rejection. It is transition.
And unlike regional examples where deportees have faced violence, discrimination, or statelessness, Pakistan’s approach remains rooted in brotherhood, shared faith, and cultural ties. Still, the global double standard persists.
We call upon our international partners, humanitarian organizations, and media to engage constructively — not just critically. Support should be directed toward:
- Resettlement programs inside Afghanistan
- Documentation solutions for Afghan families with deep roots in Pakistan
- Cooperative frameworks between Kabul and Islamabad for humanitarian coordination
This isn’t just about policy — it’s about people.
Afghans who came to Pakistan were never strangers, but guests — and like all guests, no matter how long the stay, the day of return was always expected, though never easy.
Pakistan believes in dignified repatriation — a return grounded in respect, not rejection. In doing so, we remain committed to preserving the bonds of brotherhood between Afghans and Pakistanis, bonds that no border, policy, or moment in time can erase.
To compare our compassion to the harsh crackdowns seen elsewhere — from the Global North to regional neighbors — is not only inaccurate, it is unjust. The standard applied to Pakistan must reflect the reality of our four-decade-long generosity, not distort it.
Let us move forward not with blame, but with cooperation — because behind every statistic is a life, a family, and a shared story of resilience, trust, and human dignity.
PAYF Insights are social media threads by various authors, reproduced here for wider consumption.
