ISLAMABAD: As part of government`s plan to repatriate all illegal foreigners, March 31 has been officially set as the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACCs) holders to leave Pakistan voluntarily, with a renewed warning by the interior ministry that mass deportations would commence afterwards.

A leaked document seen by Dawn indicated ACCs staying in Islamabad and Rawalpindi would be moved out and sent back to Afghanistan as part of a multiphase relocation plan for Afghan migrants, including those awaitingresettlement in third countries.

The document shows that Proof of Registration (POR) card holders, who had been allowed an extended stay in the country till June 30, 202s, would be relocated from Islamabad and Rawalpindi to some other area.

A directive to this effect was issued by the Prime Minister`s Office, according to the document.

ACCs will be immediately relocated as part of Phase-I alongside undocumented Afghans and eventually repatriated to Afghanistan, according to the document.

In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with coordinating with foreign embassies to expedite their relocation. If immediate arrangements are not made, these individuals will also be repatriated to Afghanistan.

Intelligence agencies, including the ISI and IB, have been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the relocation plan and directed to provide regular updates to PM Office.

The move further complicates the resettlement of 15,000 Afghans awaiting relocation to the United States, as promised under the evacuation and resettlement efforts following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Last month, President Donald Trump had halted the US Refugee Admission Programme to assess whether reinstating it would serve the interests of Washington, leaving at least 15,000 Afghan allies in Pakistan approved or being assessed for relocation to the US in a state of uncertainty.

Pakistan has been home to millions of Afghan migrants fordecades, including those who fled after the Taliban`s return to power in 2021. Officials estimate that over 800,000 documented migrants hold Afghan Citizen Cards, while many others remain undocumented.

Pointing out that Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP) was being implemented since Nov 1, 2023, the interior ministry in a statement mentioned that sufficient time had already been granted for their dignified return.

Pakistan has been a gracious host and continues to fulfill its commitments and obligations as a responsible state. `It is reiterated that individuals staying in Pakistan will have to fulfill all legal formalities and abide by Pakistan`s constitution`, the statement read.It stated that no one would be maltreated during the repatriation process and arrangements for their food and healthcare had also been put in place.

An official told Dawn that Pakistan was not a signatory to United Nations Convention 1951 or its Protocol 1967 on Refugees, yet the country hosted millions of Afghan refugeesforseveraldecades.

UN`s concerns A week after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a multistage plan targeting nearly three million Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan, the United Nations agencies focused on refugees and migration had jointly voiced their concerns over the new round of mass deportations of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers.They include legally declared refugees, documented as well as undocumented migrants, and those who are awaiting promised relocation to the US and other Western countries.

In a joint statement the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said they `are seeking clarity over the modality and timeframe of this relocation.

Both agencies urged Pakistan to consider human rights standards when implementing relocation measures. This includes ensuring due process for legal refugees and economic migrants who have been granted Afghan Citizen Cards by Pakistan in collaboration with IOM, the statement explained.`Forced return to Afghanistan could place some people at increased risk. We urge Pakistan to continue to provide safety to Afghans at risk, irrespective of their documentation status,` said Philippa Candler, the UNHCR country representative.

Mio Sato, the IOM chief of mission in Islamabad, said her organisation was committed to working with the Pakistani government and UNHCR to develop a mechanism to register, manage and screen Afghan nationals in Pakistan. `This will open the door to tailored solutions, including international protection to those in need and pathways for Afghan nationals with long-standing socioeconomic and family ties in the country,` she said.