Islamabad, November 27, 2024 – Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, announced on Wednesday that Afghan nationals will not be permitted to reside in the federal capital, Islamabad, beyond December 31 unless they obtain a special certificate from the district administration.
This directive is part of Pakistan’s ongoing measures targeting Afghan residents, which have drawn significant criticism from international governments and human rights organizations. Since November 2023, Islamabad has expelled nearly 800,000 Afghans it deems “illegal,” following the launch of a controversial deportation campaign.
The crackdown began amid rising security concerns, including a series of bombings that Pakistani authorities allege were carried out by Afghan nationals or militants crossing from Afghanistan. Officials have also accused undocumented Afghans of involvement in smuggling and other criminal activities. In response, the Taliban-led government in Kabul has dismissed these claims, asserting that Pakistan’s security issues are internal and not linked to Afghanistan.
Recently, Islamabad has extended its accusations to Afghan nationals allegedly participating in anti-government protests organized by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. During a press conference on Wednesday, the Islamabad police chief revealed that at least 19 Afghans were among over 900 protesters arrested during recent demonstrations in the capital, which concluded on Tuesday.
“If they want to live here, they need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the deputy commissioner’s office,” Interior Minister Naqvi stated. “After December 31, no Afghan citizen can live in Islamabad without an NOC.”
Prior to the expulsion drive, Pakistan hosted over four million Afghan migrants and refugees, including approximately 1.7 million undocumented individuals. Many Afghans fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021, while others have been in the country since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
Although Pakistani officials claim the deportation campaign targets all undocumented foreigners, the measures have disproportionately impacted Afghans, who constitute the largest segment of migrants in the country.
