The brief was prepared for GeoPolitica – a Romanian journal of political geography, geo-politics and geo-strategy

- for its special issue on Pakistan titled Pakistan: A Rising Global Player in the Emerging Geo-Strategic
Environment.

A Dream Gone Sour
In 1951, when the representatives from various states
and organizations had gathered in Geneva for a
convention on refugees, they should have been
contemplating a world where the recently-founded
United Nations Organizations would help upholding
global peace and universal equality. The refugee
convention would, in such a world, deal with only the
exceptional circumstances when some unfortunate
souls would have to abandon their homes and seek
refuge in another land. They should be thinking of an
international order where the independent states would
stand united for the ideals proclaimed in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the UN
Charter.
After nearly seven decades, when the chief of UN
refugee agency UNHCR told the world that the
number of displaced individuals around the world
stood at ‘the highest level’ during past seventy years,
and appealed to the world not to close their borders to
the refugees, he might be seeing the ideals of 1951
convention evaporate in the air.
The global population of forcibly displaced persons
stands at staggering figure of 70.8 million, with an
increase of 2.3 million people only during 2018.1 One-
third of the global refugee population (6.7 million) are
in the least developed countries while countries in the
developed regions host merely 16% of refugees.2
For several years, Afghans, Rohingya from Myanmar,
Palestinians, and persons from South Sudan and
Ethiopia have constituted the largest refugee
populations. They have been living mostly in
developing countries. Very recently (2012 onwards),
when Syrian refugees had to abandon their land and
run for their lives, the developed world became their
destination. The reaction has been surprising,
particularly for those peoples and the nations who have
been hosting the distressed people for quite some time
with their struggling economies. The prospects in near
future too are not in favor of refugees.3 Currently,
refugees from Venezuela are the latest unfortunate
addition to the global figures of refugees who have
hardly found any welcoming hosts.4 Interestingly,
most of the countries refusing to allow refugees at their
borders are parties to the 1951 Convention on the
Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol. In such
scenario, it should not come as a surprise that Russian
President Putin has made anti-immigrant policies a

1UNHCR, Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2018, https://www.unhcr.org/5d08d7ee7.pdf

2Ibid.
3 Przemysław Osiewicz, “EU policies may worsen migration crisis in 2019”, Middle East Institute, October 11, 2018,
https://www.mei.edu/publications/eu-policies-may-worsen-migration-crisis-2019-0
4 UNHCR, “Record Displacement shows ’we`re almost unable to make peace’ warns UN refugee agency chief”,

https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/06/1040761

[1]
point to proclaim death of liberalism.5 General
Assembly of United Nations, has adopted a new global
compact on refugees in October 2018 to ensure the
global cooperation and involvement,6 it has also yet to
bear fruits.
Among the refugees, every 4 out of 5 individuals live
in the countries neighboring their countries of origin.7
This indicates an obvious intention to return as soon as
the circumstances would allow them and that primarily
it is not an economic motive that has pulled them to
their destination countries.
With all this in view, there are serious questions for the
humanitarian spirit and collective action for the people
in distress. To look for the options, the world needs to
share experiences and keep learning from each other.
In case of refugees too, there are certain examples, of
which Pakistan remains a prominent one. Pakistan has
remained host to the largest refugee population till
recently when Turkey welcomed the Syrian refugees
and took the honor of being the largest refugee hosting
nation. Pakistan is now the second largest host to
refugee population8
Afghans in Pakistan – A Protracted Refugee
Situation
The Background and Quick Facts: Pakistan and
Afghanistan always had a soft border and crossing
over from one side to the other had been easily possible
throughout its 1500 miles. Very recently, Pakistan has
erected a fence on its side of the border, first to prevent
entry of terrorists and illegal immigrants and second to
allay the oft-repeated allegations that insurgents in
Afghanistan have their hideouts in Pakistan.
Map: Pakistan-Afghanistan border
Source: BBC9
Afghans had begun arriving in Pakistan to seek refuge
in 197410 and there were around 1400 Afghan refugees
in Pakistan in 1975.11 The next wave of political
dissidents came in 1978 when Daoud government was
toppled over in Afghanistan.12 Afghans had begun
fleeing their lands en masse slightly before the
invasion of neighboring super power USSR in 1979.
By June 1979, the number of Afghans in Pakistan had
reached 109,000.13 The flight continued and in 1990,
the number of Afghan refugees in Pakistan had
reached 3.7 million,14 which was more than 3% of
Pakistan’s total population at the time.15
The preference of Afghans for Pakistan as their
country of destination had obvious reasons. Apart
from being the immediate neighbor, there have been
historical, tribal and social linkages between the two
people. The sense of belonging to the same religion
that promotes the spirit of hosting the distressed by
way of amān (giving shelter) had its own assurances.16

5 Lionel Barber and Henry Foy, “Vladimir Putin says liberalism has ‘become obsolete’”, Financial Times,
https://www.ft.com/content/670039ec-98f3-11e9-9573-ee5cbb98ed36
6 UNGA, Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Part II, Global Compact on Refugees,

https://www.unhcr.org/gcr/GCR_English.pdf
7 UNHCR, Global Trends, https://www.unhcr.org/5d08d7ee7.pdf
8 UNHCR, “Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees, 2018-2019”, Geneva: UNHCR, October 2018, 6
https://www.baag.org.uk/sites/www.baag.org.uk/files/resources/attachments/UNHCR%20-
%20Solutions%20Strategy%20for%20Afghan%20Refugees%202018%20-%202019.pdf
9 BBC, https://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/55821000/gif/_55821958_afghan_pakistan_v4_624.gif
10 Khalid Rahman and Fakiha Mahmood, International Refugee Law, Islamic Shariah and Afghan Refugees in Pakistan, Islamabad:

Institute of Policy Studies, 2010, 59

11 Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees, “Handbook on Management of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan”, Islamabad: State and Frontier

Regions Division, 1984, iii

12 Khalid Rahman Khalid and Fakiha Mahmood, 59
13 Frédéric Grare and William Maley, “The Afghan Refugees in Pakistan”, Middle East Institute, June 30, 2011, 2

http://www.operationspaix.net/DATA/DOCUMENT/4042~v~The_Afghan_Refugees_in_Pakistan.pdf
14 SAFRON, “Official Policy of the Government of Pakistan”, Ministry of State and Frontier Regions, Government of Pakistan,

http://safron.gov.pk/frmDetails.aspx
15 Ibid.
16 Khalid Rahman and Fakiha Mahmood, 25-42

[2]
Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989 but its
supported communist government lasted till
Mujahideen captured Kabul in 1992. At that point,
over 1.5 million Afghan refugees returned to their
homeland.17 Nevertheless, the infighting among
various Mujahideen factions (1992-96) halted the
repatriation, rather a new wave of refugees, mainly
originating from Kabul, started. New hopes emerged
when Taliban swept through Afghanistan and took
charge of Kabul in September 1996, and repatriation
started again – though at a slower pace.18
When US forces started bombing Afghanistan in
October 2001, approximately 200,000 new refugees
arrived in Pakistan.19 Repatriation resumed after US-
NATO alliance took hold of Kabul. Nevertheless,
growing lawlessness, spreading insurgency, poor
governance, corruption, continued uncertainty, and
lack of economic opportunities, prevented many from
returning, rather pushed back some of those who had
returned.20 Following two graphs depict the overall
picture of Afghan refugee population in Pakistan and
their repatriation since 2002.
Source: UNHCR21
Formal repatriation had started in 2002. UNHCR has
facilitated the return of 4,375,871 Afghans back to
their country from Pakistan22 though a good number of
them did not stay there and has returned back to
Pakistan. The facilitation includes cash payment, and
relief package along with transport and logistic
arrangements. Some Afghans have received cash and
relief packages more than once and UNHCR has been
trying to control the practice (recycling, as UNHCR
names it) through the use of iris biometric
recognition.23 Pakistan is currently hosting 1.4 million
Afghan refugees with 210,465 households.24 Pakistan
estimates that there are between 350,000 to 550,000
undocumented Afghans in Pakistan.25 Some estimates
put the figure of undocumented Afghans in Pakistan
close to one million.26
Table: Voluntary Repatriation Trend of Afghan
Refugees from Pakistan
Source: UNHCR27
The Political Backgrounder: Before we look into the
response of the people and the Government of Pakistan
to the influx, a brief look into the prior relations
between the two countries would be helpful to keep in
view the environment where Pakistan started
welcoming this large number of refugees.
The bilateral relations between Pakistan and
Afghanistan have not remained smooth and there have
been ups and downs throughout the existence of
Pakistan. When Pakistan was established in 1947,
Afghanistan had resisted its membership in the United
Nations and there have been overt attempts to annex
the Pakhtoon areas of Pakistan or to create a
Pakhtoonistan out of the North Western Frontier
Province (later named Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa in 2010)

17 Ghufran, Nasreen, “Afghans in Pakistan: A Protracted Refugee Situation’ Policy Perspectives, vol. 5, No. 2, 121
18 Khalid Rahman and Irfan Shahzad, Afghans in Pakistan: Plight, Predicament and the Way Forward, Islamabad: Institute of Policy
Studies, 2009, 21
19 SAFRON, http://safron.gov.pk/frmDetails.aspx
20 Khalid Rahman and Irfan Shahzad, 21
21 The table depicts number of registered Afghans only. UNHCR, Operational Portal: Refugee Status,
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/country/pak
22 UNHCR, Pakistan: Voluntary Repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan Update 31st of May, 2019
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/69986.pdf
23 VOA, “UN Uses Technology to Prevent Refugee Fraud in Afghanistan”, Voice of America, https://www.voanews.com/archive/un-uses-

technology-prevent-refugee-fraud-afghanistan-2003-08-17
24 UNHCR, “Afghan Refugees and Statistics”, https://data2.unhcr.org/en/country/pak
25 UNHCR, Solution Strategy, 2018-19, October 2018, 6 https://www.baag.org.uk/sites/www.baag.org.uk/files/resources/
attachments/UNHCR%20-%20Solutions%20Strategy%20for%20Afghan%20Refugees%202018%20-%202019.pdf
26 Asad Hashim, “Deadline looms for Afghan refugees in Pakistan”, Al-Jazeera, January 31, 2018,
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/deadline-looms-afghan-refugees-pakistan-180131072420673.html
27 UNHCR, “Pakistan: Voluntary Repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan Update 31st of May, 2019”
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/69986.pdf

[3]
and parts of Balochistan.28 The attempts to create
disruption and sabotage in Pakistan through training
Pakhtoon and Baloch youth witnessed the
involvement at the highest levels in Afghanistan even
till mid-1970s.29 Afghanistan has always refused to
accept the Durand Line between the two countries as
the international border.30 Afghan troops entered
Pakistan across the poorly demarcated Durand Line in
1960 but were defeated by the tribesmen of Bajaur.31
In 1964, Afghan Loya Jirga (the grand assembly)
passed a formal resolution for creation of
Pakhtoonistan.32
Such irritants and even blatant acts of hostility, did not,
however, deter the people and the state of Pakistan
from allowing Afghan refugees into their borders.
People of Pakistan have always cherished the moment
when Afghanistan kept neutral during Pakistan-India
war of 1965, and did not pose a danger at the Western
borders for Pakistan.33
The first response: Giving protection (amān) to the
distressed and displaced is among the core of Islamic
civic code.34 The Refugees arriving in Pakistan met the
same spirit in the host community. Guests were given
traditional welcome and were accommodated in every
way possible. Very soon, the state had to get involved.
Along 1500 mile Pakistan-Afghanistan border, 240
tent villages were erected from Chitral in the North to
Chaghi in the South.35 Cash maintenance allowance,
food ration, shelter, potable water, medical care,
primary education, for refugees as well as veterinary
cover, fodder and water was provided for over 3
million heads of livestock.36 Very soon, vocational
training and self-reliance projects were initiated. Till
December 1979, Pakistan took care of refugees on its
own,37 but later the UN agencies, voluntary
organizations and friendly countries joined in.
Policy: Pakistan is not party to the 1951 Convention
on the Status of Refugees or to the 1967 Protocol. It
does not have an impressive infrastructure or economy
either. There have, however, been no signs of a
hesitation in accepting the large number of refugees.
For years, Pakistan abided by the fundamental
principles of the international refugee law – non-
discrimination, non-penalization, and non-
refoulement.
The principle of non-refoulement, (that a refugee shall
not be expelled or returned against his will, in any
manner whatsoever, to a territory where he fears
threats to life or freedom) is so fundamental that no
reservation or derogation may be made to it. The
principle was recognized to constitute part of the
customary international law much later than Pakistan’s
consistent observance of it.38
Practically, Pakistan has offered much more than the
minimum standards for the treatment of refugees
envisaged in the international legal regime and has
offered health, education,39 work opportunities, family
life, access to justice, and freedom of movement,40 to
the extent that they are comparable with the rights
available to the citizens on many counts.
Security, law and order: Presence of a huge number
of aliens in the country is sure to create certain
problems. During the decade of 1980s, the crime rate
in the country increased, the Afghani opium became a

28 Syed Abdul Quddus, Afghanistan and Pakistan: A Geopolitical Study, Lahore: Ferozsons, 1981, 136-179
29 Ibid.
30 Ahmed Shayeq Qassem, “Pak-Afghan Relations: The Durand Line Issue”, Policy Perspectives, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2008, 87-102
31 Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Tara Vassefi, “The Forgotten History of Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations”, Yale Journal of International

Affairs, March 2012, 42. http://yalejournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Article-Gartenstein_Ross-and-Vassefi.pdf

32 Juma Khan, “Overview of Pak-Afghan Relations”, Pakistan House, November 6, 2018. http://pakistanhouse.net/overview-of-pak-

afghan-relations/
33 Mohib Ullah Durani and Ashraf Khan, “Pakistan - Afghan Relations: Historic Mirror”, The Dialogue, Volume IV Number 1, 35.

http://www.qurtuba.edu.pk/thedialogue/The%20Dialogue/4_1/02_ashraf.pdf
34 The Holy Qur’an acknowledges the host communities saying, “They love those who emigrated to them and find not any desire in their

hearts of what the emigrants were given, but rather give them preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. Whoever is
protected from the greediness of his own soul, then those will be successful.” Chapter 59, verse 9
35 Handbook on Afghan Refugees, iii
36 Ibid.
37 Ibid., 9
38 UNHCR, “Advisory Opinion on the Extraterritorial Application of Non-refoulement Obligations under the 1951 Convention relating to

the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol”, January 26, 2007, www.unhcr.org/4d486929.pdf
39 UNHCR, “Education and Future of Afghan Refugees”, September 2015
40 DRC, Socio-Economic Survey of Afghan Refugees Living in Pakistan, Danish Refugee Council, May 2013

[4]
big hazard41 as a big number of youth got addicted to
drugs smuggled from Afghanistan,42 smuggling of
goods became a challenge for Pakistan’s economy, a
whole new phenomenon referred to as ‘kalashinkov
culture’ emerged, and bomb blasts did not remain
something unfamiliar for the people of Pakistan.
Despite the increasing cases of lawlessness, job market
having shrunk for local population, housing and other
civic facilities having been shared, and the arrival of
foreigners with different social traits within the
closely-knit community of Pakistan, there have not
been a public backlash, large-scale hatred, or
administrative push out, which in itself is a unique
characteristic of this episode.43 Afghan refugees
continued living a near normal life in camps and in
various urban and semi-urban areas of the country.44
Without education or skills, they could be seen
working as laborers in different trades, mainly on daily
wages.
In 1990s, the factional fighting in Afghanistan
continued. After withdrawal of the most international
players Pakistan was able to bring law and order in
control to a large extent, though the effects remained.
Completion of political motives of foreign players also
meant abandonment of Afghan refugees to their hosts
i.e. Pakistan. International support soon vanished and
Pakistan has been receiving merely $5.20 per
registered refugee per year as international aid to
provide for their healthcare and education.45
Documentation and Repatriation - Post 2000
scenario: In the year 2000, situation in Afghanistan
had settled to the extent that Pakistan started indicating
to the refugees that they should consider repatriation
and simultaneously prevented further refugee inflows
from Afghanistan.46 Things turned against all plans
and in the wake of 9/11 attacks a new wave of refugees
had to be accepted immediately after US attacks on
Afghanistan in October 2001.
Early years of the 2000s was a time when Pakistan had
started digitizing its national identity documents
through newly established National Database and
Registration Authority (NADRA). Though, national
identity documents were being issued to the people of
Pakistan since mid-1970s, but advancement was being
brought and manual system was being replaced with
the state of the art database. It was also a major target
to register each and every Pakistani for the national
database and a large and aggressive campaign was
launched. Many Afghans had already obtained the
national identity cards of Pakistan by misrepresenting
themselves as native Pakistanis of the Pashtoon areas,
and many others got themselves registered during the
new campaign. This had created numerous problems
as the new entrants in the national database had started
purchasing lands, owning businesses in their own
names, joining government services and even voting
in elections. In most cases, the persons so registered
were members of the second generation of Afghan
refugees who were born and raised in Pakistan. In a
judgment of Peshawar High Court in the year 2000, it
was, however, clarified that an alien did not receive the
right to citizenship merely on the basis of prolonged
stay and was, therefore, not entitled to identity as a
Pakistani citizen or to own property in Pakistan.47
Consequently, NADRA launched a nation-wide
verification campaign from 2005 onwards through
which all spurious identities were removed from
national database. This had obvious implications for
certain Afghans as well.
When US and allied forces took hold of situation in
Afghanistan, refugee repatriation program was worked
out with UNHCR for the years 2002-2005 and Afghan
Government was taken onboard for dignified return of
all refugees to their lands. Consequently, over 3.5

41 Tehseen Usman and Minhas Majeed Khan, “Drug Trafficking from Afghanistan to Pakistan and its Implications”, Journal of Research
Society of Pakistan, vol. 50, No. 2, December 2013, http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/history/PDF-
FILES/ARTICLE%202%20TEHSIN%2025-43_v50_no2_2013.pdf
42 Bushra Hamid, “Endangered Livelihoods: Questions of Opium and Integration for the Afghan Economy”, Policy Perspectives, vol. 5,

No. 2, 2008, 103-115

43 Lal Baha, “Afghan Refugees: Socio-Economic Implications”, Islamic Studies, vol. 25, No. 2, Summer 1986, 161-179
44 Currently, 68 per cent Afghans live in urban or rural areas, while the remaining 32 per cent reside in 54 refugee villages across the

country. UNHCR, Solution Strategy, 6 https://www.baag.org.uk/sites/www.baag.org.uk/files/resources/attachments/UNHCR%20-

%20Solutions%20Strategy%20for%20Afghan%20Refugees%202018%20-%202019.pdf
45 AFP, “Pakistan calls for aid for its millions of Afghan refugees”, The Express Tribune, June 29, 2019,
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1128659/pakistan-calls-aid-millions-afghan-refugees/
46 Nancy Hatch Dupree, “The Family During Crisis in Afghanistan”, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, Spring 2004,

311-331; Nasreen Ghufran, “Afghans in Pakistan: A Protracted Refugee Situation’ Policy Perspectives, vol. 5, No. 2, 121
47 Ghulam Sanai vs Assistant Director NADRA and others, PLD 1999 Peshawar 18

[5]
million refugees returned to Afghanistan during these
years.48
As the stay of refugees prolonged in Pakistan, many of
them had not remained confined to camps, and spread
to various parts of the country. Though the refugees in
refugee camps were already registered or recorded,
there was a need to ensure registration of all refugee
individuals in the country. This was necessary for
effective repatriation as well. Pakistan Census
Organization carried out a detailed census of all
refugees in all parts of the country during February and
March 2005. The statistics were far beyond the
estimates held till now and it turned out that 548,105
families of Afghan refugees constituting 3,049,268
individuals were present in the country.49 This was
despite the repatriation already taking place. The
explanation to such big difference was the 3.5 per cent
birth rate among refugees, return of some of those who
had ‘repatriated’ through official arrangements, and
the previous figures being based on estimates.
Registered Afghans were issued cards as proof of
registration, which are referred as PoR cards.
In August 2007, Tripartite Agreement was signed
between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UNHCR to
govern voluntary repatriation of Afghans.50 This
Agreement was effective till the end of 2009.
Repatriation after 2009 continued on a slower pace, as
indicated in the table above, on the principles of
volunteerism and gradualism.
Pakistan faced a dilemma when despite its support for
the US-NATO campaign against al-Qaeda and Taliban
in Afghanistan, it was alleged by the US and Afghan
Governments for having provided safe heavens to
insurgents in its territories. To clean its area of any
terrorists, Pakistan launched a series of military
operations and initiatives in areas adjoining
Afghanistan from 2001 to 2013.51 In the same
continuity, December 16, 2014 was a turning point in
the history of Pakistan when terrorists attacked Army
Public School in Peshawar and killed 144 students and
the school staff. This was the time when a final blow
to militancy in all its forms was agreed upon and a
National Action Plan (NAP) was devised with the
consensus of all significant political parties of the
country. Along with several other steps to ensure peace
and to eradicate militancy, NAP also called for
‘comprehensive policy’ to deal with the issue of
Afghan refugees.52 Operation Zarb-e-Azb was
launched by Pakistan military in areas adjoining
Afghanistan. Apart from rooting out terrorists, these
military operations caused internal displacements in
the country and coupled with Afghan refugees, the
burden became intense. The need for early repatriation
of Afghan refugees was voiced from various segments
of the Government and public. Since the connections
of school attack were traced into Afghanistan, the
harshness in conduct of police and security forces
towards Afghans was reported, particularly at check
posts and entry points.53 Consequently, the rate of
repatriation increased in the following years. The
repatriation continues at a slower pace through
Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) that
has been in place since 2011.54
In February 2017, the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan
adopted a Comprehensive Policy on Voluntary
Repatriation and Management of Afghan Nationals.
The policy aimed at (i) voluntary repatriation of
refugees in safety and dignity; (ii) extension of the
validity of PoR cards and enactment of national
refugee legislation; (iii) improved border
management; (iv) a flexible visa regime for PoR card
holders; and (v) registration and documentation of
undocumented Afghans.
Between August 2017 and February 2018, the
Government of Pakistan identified some 880,000
previously undocumented Afghan nationals and in
coordination with UNHCR and Afghan Government

48 Nasreen Ghufran, “Afghans in Pakistan: A Protracted Refugee Situation’ Policy Perspectives, vol. 5, No. 2, 121
49 UNHCR, Census of Afghans in Pakistan, March 2005, https://www.unhcr.org/431c7b1a2.pdf
50 UNHCR, “Agreement between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, The Government of the Islamic Republic of

Afghanistan, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Governing the Repatriation of Afghan Citizens Living in Pakistan”.
https://www.unhcr.org/46c98acd2.pdf
51 Iram Khalid and Muhammad Iqbal Roy, “Pakistan’s Military Operations: The Counter Terrorism Strategy (2001-2013) – Prospects and

Implications”, Journal of Research Society of Pakistan, vol. 53, No. 2, July-December, 2016, http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/history/PDF-
FILES/17-Paper_53_2_16.pdf
52 “National Action Plan, 2014”, NACTA, https://nacta.gov.pk/nap-2014/
53 Such harsh treatment is not specific to Afghans only. There have always been complaints about the conduct of law and order agencies

in Pakistan and the situation in this regard is no different for locals also.
54 UNHCR, Solution Strategy, 2018-19, 6 https://www.baag.org.uk/sites/www.baag.org.uk/files/resources/attachments/UNHCR%20-

%20Solutions%20Strategy%20for%20Afghan%20Refugees%202018%20-%202019.pdf

[6]
helped in providing Afghan Citizenship Card (ACCs)
to some 380,000 of them.
Currently, Pakistan has a fewer number of those
Afghans who had originally migrated to Pakistan in
effect of war and most Afghans belong to the second
and third generations, who have lived most parts of
their lives in Pakistan and feel more attached here.55
Exit interviews conducted from repatriating Afghans
during March-May 2019, indicate that those Afghans
are more likely to return, who already have some of
their family members in Afghanistan. On the other
hand, a large number of Afghans do not wish to go
back as have developed strong financial and family
connections in Pakistan over past four decades. While
Pakistan wants most Afghans to get settled in their
own country, there is increasing realization that
repatriation of all Afghans might not be a possibility.
Recently, Pakistan has given indications that it is
considering long-term options for assimilation of
Afghans in Pakistan. In this connection, they have
recently been allowed to open bank accounts in their
own names,56 and a proposal for giving citizenship was
also floated that met with mixed reactions.57
Conclusion
Following points emerge from the above discussion
and may serve as lessons to learn:
 The huge number and prolonged stay of refugees
is sure to have implications for any host society
particularly for its economy and job market.
Pakistan has been trying to adjust itself in the
volatile regional situation and has been taking
measures within its limited resources and
relatively weak physical infrastructure but it has
done fairly good in abiding by the fundamental
principles of the international refugee law. It has
undergone severe problems but has not shied
away from lending a helping hand to the
distressed people of Afghanistan. There have
definitely been problems arising out of weak
governance structure and lack of accountability
within the public services, yet the state policy has
been consistent in favor of Afghan refugees.
 At societal level, there have been occasional
voices against the prolonged presence of Afghans
but the overall public opinion has not been against
them. There are sufficient reasons to suspect that
some of the dissenting voices are planned and
backed for certain political gains in the domestic
and regional politics.58
 The immigrants are not merely a burden. The
immigrant work force may be turned into asset
with some efforts. The approach for sustainable
development of refugees’ capabilities not only
helps them in repatriation but also works in case
of insufficient and/or intermittent international
cooperation as has been the case with Pakistan.
Many Afghans are now living on their own, and
their new generations are increasingly getting
higher education and entering trade and business.
 Most displacements today are caused by human
actions but humanitarian issues are not dealt with
humanitarian approach. Rather, it is the vested
political and economic motive that dictates the
choices of the States in dealing with refugees at
home, accepting some of the refugees from
another under-pressure country for relocation or
even supporting the host countries through
funding. Former chief of UN High Commission
for Human Rights Sadako Ogata was bitterly
correct when he had once deplored that there are
no humanitarian solutions to humanitarian
problems.59
 The successive international efforts to promote
refugee rights for nearly seven decades and the
current situation of refugees throughout the world
is evident that no agreement, convention or
guarantee is sufficient to ensure human rights,
unless the society generally subscribes to a
humane paradigm of life. It is unfortunate that
economic benefits have generally been driving

55 UNHCR, Pakistan: Voluntary Repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan Update – as 31st May of 2019,
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/69986.pdf
56 APP, “Registered Afghan refugees can open bank accounts: Imran Khan”, Khaleej Times, February 26, 2019

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/international/pakistan/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-makes-historic-announcement-
57 “Pakistan's Imran Khan skirts issue of Afghan refugees' citizenship”, The Guardian, September 18, 2018,
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/18/pakistan-imran-khan-afghan-begali-refugees-citizenship-passports
58 One such instance was witnessed quite recently when #DeportAfghanRefugees made a local trend in Pakistan immediately after a cordial

visit of Afghan President to Pakistan on 27-28 June 2019.

59 Debarre ,Alice, “The Challenges of the Humanitarian Response to the Rohingya Crisis”, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, January

29, 2019 http://www.fletcherforum.org/home/2019/1/16/the-challenges-of-the-humanitarian-response-to-the-rohingya-crisis

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 popular narratives and immigrants have generally
faced cold shoulders. A more humanitarian
society may sustain the burden despite difficulties
and drying down of international support.
 The distressed people anywhere in the world need
to be welcomed, accommodated and assisted in
living dignified lives. Over the years, love and
affection as well as financial and other stakes
might develop in the country of destination, and
finally some immigrants may have to be adjusted
and admitted. However, the singular most
significant factor contributing to the failure of
UNHCR efforts to repatriate Afghan refugees
relates to the conditions in the country of origin,
which would finally determine the fate of
refugees. No amount of incentives and efforts
would otherwise work completely, unless the
conditions in the country of origin support the
option for repatriation.
The four key components of the recently agreed global
compact i.e. easing the pressure on host countries,
enhancing self-reliance in refugees, expanding access
to third country solutions, and supporting the efforts to
promote conditions for safe and dignified return in the
country of origin,60 provide the full framework of
things to do. But it will work only when the humans
prefer to think more humanely.
In a world fighting for resources and power,
displacements and sufferings cannot be mitigated
forever. Nevertheless, International community needs
to work together to subscribe once again to the ideals
of UN charter and humanitarian conventions
stemming out of its spirit to ensure peace and
tranquility around the world.

Prepared by:

Rafiq Rahat
Research Officer
Institute of Policy Studies, (IPS) Islamabad.
Author acknowledges assistance of Sami-ur-Rahman (Behria University, Islamabad)
and Sardar Ali Yousafzai (Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad)

For queries:

Syed Nadeem Farhat

Senior Research Officer
nadeem@ips.net.pk | www.ips.org.pk

60 UNHCR, Global Compact on Refugees, https://www.unhcr.org/the-global-compact-on-refugees.html

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