Afghan Women in Pakistan Forcibly Returned

Shazia, who requested anonymity out of sensitivity, a 20-year-old Afghan woman, fled to Pakistan earlier this year seeking safety and a chance to rebuild her life in France under a humanitarian visa. But as Pakistan intensifies its crackdown on Afghan refugees, her hopes are unravelling. Now in hiding, with no legal status, she is one of millions caught in limbo, fearing deportation back to a country she no longer recognises. 

"Once, when I was at home sleeping, the Pakistani police broke down the door and came in, asking about my visa," Shazia recalls of their visit in March this year. "Luckily, it was still valid for another month and a half, so they left me alone."

Now, with her visa expired, Shazia is living in the country illegally and fears deportation.

Legality erased: Pakistan’s dismantling of refugee protections 

Pakistan’s sweeping crackdown on Afghan refugees comes after years of mounting restrictions on their residency. Since September 2023 alone, according to Amnesty International, almost 845,000 Afghans have been deported, leaving many in fear, hiding, or stranded.

"The situation gets harder every day, but it’s been two days since they last came. I don’t know if it’s just a break or if they’ve actually stopped… but there’s no guarantee they won’t return," Shazia told FairPlanet.

This crackdown isn’t about illegal migration or refugee pressure, according to an analysis published by Brookings. It stems from rising tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban. Since 2021, Pakistan has seen a spike in attacks by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group aligned with the Afghan Taliban and operating from eastern Afghanistan. Islamabad has asked the Taliban to rein in the TTP. Still, Kabul’s refusal to act and its insistence that Pakistan negotiate with the group instead are widely seen as key reasons behind the mass deportations of Afghans.

Pakistan is currently home to over 2.2 million Afghans, according to the UNHCR Operational Data Portal. Of these, around 1.3 million have a Proof of Registration (PoR) card issued by the UNHCR since 2006, and another 840,000 hold an Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), which was introduced in 2017. Until recently, these documents were considered valid proof of legal residence in Pakistan. However, in January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office laid out Pakistan’s three-phase plan to expel Afghan nationals. 

In the first phase, all undocumented Afghans, many of whom hold an ACC, are to be deported immediately. The second phase targets Afghan PoR cards. The final phase focuses on Afghans awaiting relocation to third countries. If fully implemented, the plan will only allow Afghans with valid visas to remain in Pakistan, forcing out nearly all others who came seeking refuge.

Karachi-based human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar told FairPlanet that under Pakistan’s so-called 'Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,' Afghan nationals are being deported in large numbers, even those who have valid documents like PoR cards, ACCs, or are waiting for third-country resettlement through UNHCR. 

Kakar explains that the process is arbitrary, with no transparency or due process, and goes against Pakistan’s international obligations, especially the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits states from sending asylum seekers to places where they could face harm or persecution.

Amid a crackdown on foreigners without legal status, thousands of Afghans have been deported on the grounds of a rise in crime and militancy.

The Pakistani government often accuses Afghan nationals of being involved in these attacks and alleges that the TTP is being given safe haven in Afghanistan, something the Afghan Taliban strongly denies. These allegations have drawn sharp criticism from UN experts, who called such links "unsubstantiated" and urged Pakistan to ensure protection for refugees.

Afghan women at risk of forced return

Lala Rukh, who runs the social enterprise Science Fuse in Pakistan, recalls her experience with two Afghan sisters working with her as part of her education campaign across the country. 

"They told me it was very difficult to come to Pakistan from Afghanistan because the visa was extremely expensive... around $1,400 for just three months."

The sisters, who refused to be interviewed for this story due to fear of persecution - in Pakistan for being illegal and in Afghanistan for running an online school for girls above the 6th grade - shared their exasperation with Lala Rukh.

"I'm baffled. I'm confused. Why is this happening? What are they getting out of this and why? How will this benefit anyone?" one of the sisters told Rukh. "Can you imagine, Lala? There are no parks for women."

Women under the Taliban in Afghanistan live an extremely restrictive life. They face severe limitations on their freedom, with strict rules controlling their movement, education, and employment. Many women are forced to stay home, unable to access basic services or participate in society. The fear of punishment or violence looms large, making daily life difficult. 

Shazia lives alone in Pakistan and constantly fears being caught by Pakistani authorities for overstaying her visa. Despite this, she finds the stress here much more bearable than what she endured back home.

"At least here, I’m able to go outside, attend classes, and live my life. In Afghanistan, I was always anxious and barely slept at night."

Kakar, who has worked with Afghan women in hiding, reveals that the threats they face are grave. 

"I’ve met women who were teachers, journalists, human rights defenders—now hiding in small rooms, afraid to go out, afraid to seek help. If sent back, they risk arrest, forced marriage, torture, or death. I know a woman who was threatened by the Taliban because she taught girls. Another who was nearly abducted at the border. Deportation for them is not just unjust—it’s a death sentence," she said.

Calls for Non-Return continue to Go Unheeded 

Qaiser Afridi, UNHCR spokesperson in Pakistan, told FairPlanet that the government and people of Pakistan have a commendable, decades-long history of hosting Afghans who have fled conflict and violence.

The UNHCR reiterates this call and urges Pakistan to continue protecting those seeking safety, as it has done for many decades. Recognising the challenging human rights situation in Afghanistan, especially for women and girls, and that there are people whose lives are at risk if they return, regardless of their status.   

"In view of the situation which unfolded in Afghanistan in 2021, UNHCR issued non-return advisories for Afghanistan calling for a suspension of forced returns of Afghan nationals regardless of their status", explained Afridi.

Shazia has been waiting for six months, hoping that her visa to France arrives in time to prevent deportation. Like many women, she faces the threat that the police may knock on her door at any moment. 

"The pressure and stress here weigh heavily on my mental health. Some nights, when I hear the police searching for Afghans, I can’t sleep at all. I just pray they don’t come to our door. It’s so hard."

Image by Wanman