Crackdown on Afghan Refugees in Islamabad Sparks Outrage » Capital News
March 9 – At least 190 Afghan refugees have been rounded up in Islamabad as part of an ongoing crackdown, a civil society group said Thursday.
The Joint Action Committee for Refugees, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), claimed a “massive crackdown” was underway in the twin cities, with scores of Afghans detained regardless of whether they held Proof of Registration (PoR), Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), or valid visas.
“JAC has learned that many police stations have arrested Afghan refugees and detained them without due process. Around 190 Afghans are being held at Haji Camp in Islamabad,” the group said, calling the action a violation of a recent Islamabad High Court (IHC) order.
Earlier this week, IHC Justice Inam Minhas ruled that authorities must not harass refugees and should act in accordance with the law. “Through instant writ petition, the petitioners, being users of Pakistan Origin Cards, seek directions restraining respondents from harassing or forcibly evicting them from their homes in any manner until the expiry of the extended period, as specified in the notification dated 22.07.2024, which grants them the right to reside in Pakistan until 30.06.2025,” the ruling stated.
The crackdown follows a directive issued after meetings chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which called for the relocation of registered Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi and their gradual repatriation.
A police official, speaking anonymously, claimed law enforcement was not responsible for the crackdown but was merely “standing guard” outside the Haji Camp detention centre. “Immigrants rounded up by the district administration are brought here and later transported to the border for deportation,” the official said.
Dawn contacted the Islamabad deputy commissioner for comment, but no response was received by the time of publication.
A female refugee, who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals, said police were detaining Afghan refugees daily in the twin cities and taking them to Haji Camp on the outskirts of Islamabad. She claimed she had also been detained but was released after providing documentation proving her legal status in Pakistan.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), over 18,000 Afghans returned home from Rawalpindi and Islamabad in January. In 2024, approximately 315,100 Afghans have returned, including 257,447 undocumented individuals, 42,929 PoR holders, and 5,770 ACC holders.