Pakistan extends stay of 1.45m Afghan refugees

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): In an expected development, Pakistan has extended the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for 1.45 million Afghan refugees.

At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister She­h­baz Sharif, the federal cabinet approved the extension of PoR cards by one more year to June 30, 2025.

On Tuesday, United Nations High Com­missioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi had urged Sharif to halt the repatriation of even undocumented Afghan refugees.

After Wednesday’s meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office said: “The cabinet accepted (the proposal) of a one-year extension of PoR cards of 1.45 million legal Afghan residents that expired on June 30, 2024.”

Since November 2023, more than 500,000 Afghans have returned to their homeland from Pakistan, according to UN figures.

In his meetings with Pakistani leaders, Grandi had commended Islamabad for suspending the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,”

The high commissioner had also called for the timely extension of the PoR cards, a critical identity document held by over 1.45 million Afghan refugees.

Last year, the country announced a huge drive to repatriate foreigners without visas, mostly Afghans.

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