Pakistan's Phased and Orderly Deportation Plan for Afghan Migrants Raises Concerns

Pakistan has announced that it will repatriate all illegal immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, in an orderly manner rather than all at once. The decision has strained relations with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, who consider the threat of forced expulsion unacceptable. The repatriation process will be carried out in phases, starting with individuals with criminal records. Pakistan's interior minister stated that there are 1.73 million undocumented Afghans in the country, with a total of 4.4 million Afghan refugees. The decision comes amid rising attacks by Afghan nationals in Pakistan, with allegations that 14 out of 24 suicide bombings this year were carried out by Afghans. The forced repatriation could compound the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.