Sat Mar 08 05:45:56 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Sets March 31 Deadline for Afghan Refugees to Leave
**Islamabad, March 8, 2025** – The Pakistani government has issued a March 31 deadline for Afghan citizens holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) to voluntarily leave the country, according to a leaked official document. This repatriation plan, part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP) launched in November 2023, affects an estimated 800,000 documented Afghan refugees. Those remaining after the deadline face deportation.
The decision comes amid strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan over terrorism and could significantly impact the resettlement efforts for approximately 15,000 Afghans awaiting relocation to the United States. President Trump’s recent halting of the U.S. Refugee Admission Programme further complicates matters for those who fled to Pakistan after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government insists the repatriation process will be dignified, with provisions for food and healthcare for returning refugees. However, the Afghan embassy reports hundreds of Afghans have already been detained. Pakistan maintains it has fulfilled its obligations as a responsible host nation but expects all individuals within its borders to comply with its laws. Millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan, particularly since the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s.
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