Pakistan begins expulsion of Afghan refugees holding POR cards

ISLAMABAD: The deadline for Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (POR) cards in Pakistan expired yesterday, and Islamabad has announced that starting today, they will begin repatriating these individuals to Afghanistan. The United Nations reports that approximately 1.4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan hold POR cards. The validity of these cards expired two months ago on June 30, but Pakistan declined to extend this period. Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for international assistance to meet the needs of returning refugees in Afghanistan. The agency states that this year, around 2.3 million Afghans have returned to their country, primarily under pressure from Iran and Pakistan. The UNHCR emphasizes that these returning refugees are going back to a country that is not adequately prepared to receive them.