Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says that around 2.4 million Afghan migrants have been deported over the past three years.
Sharif provided the figure in a message marking “World Refugee Day,” which is being observed today (Saturday, 30 Jozا).
The Pakistani prime minister stated that between September 2023 and June 2026, a total of 2.4 million Afghan migrants have returned to their country.
According to him, this figure includes all those who either voluntarily returned to Afghanistan or were forcibly expelled by the Pakistani government.
Sharif also said that Pakistan remains committed to the protection and support of asylum seekers.
He added: “Safety is a fundamental human right, and protecting and supporting those who are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, insecurity, and other crises is a collective responsibility of the international community.”
Sharif noted that since 1979, Pakistan has supported millions of Afghan migrants for more than four decades, “despite limited resources,” providing shelter, care, and opportunities for successive generations.
The Pakistani prime minister urged the international community to ensure “hope, peace, and opportunities for a safe and dignified return home” for displaced and stateless persons, so that they are not condemned to “permanent exile.”
This comes as Pakistan has intensified the forced deportation of Afghan migrants following the Taliban’s return to power.
Pakistan began deporting undocumented migrants in 2023.
Subsequently, in 2024, Afghan migrant identification cards (ACC) and, in 2025, Proof of Registration (PoR) cards issued by the UN Refugee Agency were also declared invalid.
Earlier this year, Pakistan also suspended the issuance, renewal, and extension of visas for Afghan migrants.
Thousands of Afghan migrants who fled their country due to their professional background and fear of Taliban reprisals and in hopes of reaching safer and more migrant-friendly countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and various European states having taken refuge in Pakistan, are now facing the threat of arrest and forced deportation.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
