Afghan refugees face numerous challenges due to the complex repatriation process that might obstruct their reintegration into Afghan society.
The enforcement of Pakistan’s latest ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ has further exacerbated these difficulties.
The plan states that undocumented Afghans must leave the country by 31 March 2025; otherwise, they will be deported.
Concurrently, many Afghan refugees are left stranded in Pakistan due to the changes in U.S. immigration policy, including the suspension of the Refugee Admissions Program.
There is a dire need to answer the question if the Afghans living in our country support to Pakistan’s economy or are a strain.
Secondly, we have to ensure that the families being returned to Afghanistan get their investment and money back before leaving the country.
Many refugees have returned to Afghanistan without having proper documentation, for ex-ample, identification papers or education certificates, which has hampered their reintegration.
Afghanistan’s infrastructure struggles to keep up with an increasing number of returnees, resulting in overflowing educational institutions and strained medical facilities.
Employment opportunities are limited, especially for those who lack recognised qualifications or relevant skills.
This scarcity makes many returnees work in unregulated marketplaces, creating poverty cycles.
Furthermore, the major concern is security, as returnees face security threats from the insurgent groups.
This has affected their ability for safe and peaceful reintegration into society.
More-over, the returnees face land disputes due to their property being occupied illegally or due to the lack of proper documentation of ownership of the property.
Undocumented returnees are especially vulnerable to exploitation, which can include forced labour and other forms of misconduct.
They face serious risks if they return without legal protection or community support.
Concurrently, the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan carries multifaceted implications across economic, security, social and legal dimensions for Pakistan.
Afghan refugees have made substantial contributions to Pakistan’s economy, especially within agriculture, construction and other informal industries.
Their contributions as labourers, traders and service providers have proven to be vital, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The departure of this workforce could result in labour shortages, higher salaries and eventual disruptions in these industries.
There has to be a detailed statistical analysis
Pakistan has also faced security challenges due to the persistent presence of Afghan refugees, as it has been reported that they provide safe havens to militants and insurgents that have contributed to the increased number of terrorist incidents within the country and even have been part of it.
Additionally, the forced repatriation from Pakistan might also increase security concerns for the country as many returning refugees face economic crisis in Afghanistan and become vulnerable to be recruited by militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and ISIS-K.
Also, this situation might increase the risk of instability along the Durand Line and strain Pak-Afghan relations.
Therefore, it would fuel anti-Pakistan sentiment and give strength to the extremist groups which will ultimately cause the internal security issue in Pakistan.
Moreover, the repatriation plan has also created social unrest, which has led to the increase in xenophobia and anti-refugee sentiments among local communities.
The reports have been filed by refugees on harassment and unlawful arrests which is causing a sense of insecurity among refugees.
We should know that these people being repatriated have been living in Pakistan for more than thirty years and their knowledge can be exploited by the other elements and militant organizations.
We also have to ensure that the individuals being repatriated should not be exploited by locals and their business partners and should be reimbursed as per their due share which will require detailed data and a special desk handling such issues/complaints.
Pakistan must ensure voluntary repatriation with reintegration support in collaboration with the Afghan Government.
The return must be aligned with the international protection standards as emphasized by UNHCR.
Although Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it is required by customary international law to follow the principle of nonrefoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face serious threats.
Pakistan has also been called by the UN Agencies to protect Afghan refugees and emphasized that the forceful return of the refugees would lead to the violation of human rights that includes family separation and deportation of minors as highlighted in UN Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
The ‘Tripartite Agreement’ between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UNHCR, extended in 2007, set the framework for the voluntary return of Afghan refugees over three years.
These agreements ensure commitment to an efficient and humane repatriation process.
The international community can help share the burden through resettlement programs for host countries.
For instance, Canada and the US offered resettlement to Uyghur refugees detained in Thailand, although geopolitical factors influenced their decision.
Additionally, community-based integration initiatives in host countries can assist in the repatriation process.
The case of South Sudan demonstrates that refugees are more likely to return when there are security and employment prospects, as seen in the 2023 migration to Kajo Keji, where community empowerment and farming initiatives encouraged their return.
Any repatriation plan must include global efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and support its reconstruction.
By adopting these strategies, Pakistan can address Afghan repatriation challenges while ensuring balanced economic, security, social and legal considerations.
—The writer is a International Law expert with a rich experience in negotiation, mediation and Alternate Dispute Resolution.
