Islamabad, September 5, 2025: Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan on Friday asserted that Pakistan reserves the sole authority to decide who can stay within its borders, stressing that undocumented foreign nationals must leave the country.
“Any people with no documentation should leave. This is what Pakistan is doing, and what any other country would do — including in Europe and elsewhere. It is our territory; we decide who stays in,” Khan said during the weekly press briefing.
His remarks came as thousands of Afghans continue crossing back into Afghanistan, even after last weekend’s devastating earthquake that killed over 2,200 people and destroyed entire villages. The surge in returns prompted UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi to appeal to Islamabad to pause the implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.
Pakistan has hosted Afghans for over four decades, from the Soviet invasion to the 2021 Taliban takeover. While some refugees were born and raised in Pakistan, others are awaiting relocation to third countries. Citing a rise in militant attacks, Islamabad launched a nationwide crackdown in 2023 to expel undocumented Afghans. Since then, more than 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return, including 443,000 this year alone, according to the United Nations.
The latest phase of the campaign targets an estimated 1.3 million refugees holding UNHCR-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, who face arrest and deportation if they do not leave Pakistan by September 1. Afghan families awaiting relocation to Germany have also reported police raids on guesthouses where they have been staying during the processing of their cases.
Ambassador Khan expressed hope that Germany would expedite its commitments to resettle Afghan citizens, adding that Islamabad and Berlin would continue to strengthen relations “based on mutual trust and goodwill.”
Turning to regional security, the spokesperson said the existence of terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan remained a “serious concern” and a major obstacle in bilateral ties. He urged the Taliban government to take meaningful action against terrorist groups, while dismissing allegations of Pakistani involvement in attacks inside Afghanistan.
“Pakistan’s security operations in border areas are directed solely against terrorists, based on credible intelligence and careful planning,” Khan clarified. He stressed that Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and called for enhanced cooperation to ensure Afghan soil is not used for cross-border terrorism.
“Terrorist groups are the common enemy of regional peace and stability, and eliminating them requires joint efforts,” he underlined.
The spokesperson further noted that diplomatic channels between Islamabad and Kabul remain open, with regular engagements at multiple levels. He also confirmed that Pakistan had dispatched relief goods for Afghan earthquake victims and stood ready to extend additional humanitarian assistance.
