Attachments
INTRODUCTION
In response to the Ministry of Interior's (MoI) decision of 26 September 2023 to enact an “Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan”, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and IOM, the UN Migration Agency, have collated their data on the arrest, detention, and deportation of Proof of Registration (PoR) holders, Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, and undocumented Afghan nationals as well as on the outflows of Afghan nationals at the Torkham and Chaman border crossing points, to better understand the protection environment and movements of Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan.
While the Government of Pakistan has yet to halt the “IFRP”, the rate of arrest, detention, deportation, and returns has decreased significantly since its peak in October and November 2023. Furthermore, on 7 January 2024, the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) issued a notification that the validity of the POR cards has been extended until 31 March 2024.
KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS
It is important to note that prior to 2023, there was no data collected on the arrest and detention of ACC holders or undocumented Afghan nationals. Since January 2023, IOM has started to collect this data, which should be considered indicative at this point. The figures, particularly of undocumented Afghan nationals, should be considered underreported.
• The period from 1 to 20 April 2024 saw the overall reported rates of arrest and detention decrease by approximately 32 per cent compared to 1 to 31 March 2024.
• From 1 to 20 April, the rate of arrest and detention for ACC holders and undocumented Afghans was 25 per cent higher than for PoR holders and asylum seekers.
• Since the start of 1 October 2023, the overall reported rate of arrest remains highest for the province of Balochistan. However, between January 1 st and April 20th , the highest reported rate of arrest for Afghan nationals has been in the province of Sindh.
• Across Pakistan, the top four districts for arrest and detention between April 1 st and April 20th are Karachi (Sindh), Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Pishin and Killah Abdullah (Balochistan).