Pakistan Could Revise Afghan Refugee Expulsion Deadline, Says Senior Adviser

Rana Sanaullah, a senior adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, has indicated that the March 31 deadline for expelling undocumented Afghan refugees is not final and may be reconsidered.

Speaking to ARY News on Wednesday night, Sanaullah said the Pakistani government would decide after reviewing the results of Special Envoy Sadiq Khan’s recent visit to Kabul. He emphasised the deadline is flexible, not fixed.

Referring to Khan’s discussions with Afghan officials, including Taliban representatives, Sanaullah suggested changes to the refugee policy could be made based on those talks.

He added that Pakistan will take a decision aligned with its national interests, despite various statements made on the issue.

Pakistan previously announced plans to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, including undocumented migrants and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, after March 31.

Authorities have justified the move by alleging the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.