The Ministry of Interior issued a Special Regulatory Order (SRO) on July 31, declaring PoR cards expired as of June 30, effectively criminalising the stay of all Afghans still in Pakistan under this category
The mass expulsion follows Pakistan’s broader anti-refugee campaign launched in November 2023. REPRESENTATION PIC
In an alarming escalation, the Pakistani federal government has ordered the expulsion of over one million Afghan nationals legally residing in the country with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. According to Dawn News outlet, the Ministry of Interior issued a Special Regulatory Order (SRO) on July 31, declaring PoR cards expired as of June 30, effectively criminalising the stay of all Afghans still in Pakistan under this category.
This decision now places registered refugees, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades, in imminent danger of arrest, detention, and deportation. The government has empowered police, district administration, and prison authorities to arrest and detain PoR cardholders without judicial review under the Foreigners Act of 1946, a colonial-era law used historically to suppress marginal communities.
Border crossing with Afghanistan shut
Pakistan has closed the Ghulam Khan border with Afghanistan’s Khost province, enforcing stricter visa and passport regulations. The closure since August 1 ends the practice that allowed individuals including patients to cross using “tokens” instead of full travel documents.
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