Pakistan imposes ban on accommodation, employment for 'illegal' Afghan immigrants

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 18 (ANI): Pakistan has banned offering accommodation, jobs, business property on rent, or hotel stays to Afghan nationals living in the country without proper documents, according to a report by ARY News.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry announced the decision at a press briefing in Islamabad. He warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found helping undocumented Afghan migrants.
"There will be no extension of stay for Afghan immigrants without a valid passport and visa. There is now zero tolerance for undocumented Afghan nationals," Chaudhry said.
He shared data showing that since April 1, 2025, a total of 84,869 Afghan nationals have been deported. Out of these, 25,320 had Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), while 59,549 had no valid documents. Since the start of the one-document policy, a total of 9,07,351 Afghan nationals have been sent back.
Chaudhry said Afghan immigrants waiting to be deported are being kept at special transit locations, where they are provided with medical care, shelter, transportation, and security.
He also made it clear that legal action would be taken against people who rent out residential, commercial, or hotel properties to undocumented Afghan immigrants. He added that offering jobs or any kind of movable or immovable property to illegal Afghan immigrants is completely banned, ARY News reported.
Earlier, UN human rights experts urged Pakistan to stop the deportation of Afghan nationals. They said there were reports that the deadline for voluntary return might be extended until April 10.
"Considering the worsening human rights conditions in Afghanistan, sustainable solutions are essential for Afghans outside their country, with substantial backing from the wider international community," the experts said.
They warned that "millions of Afghans in Pakistan face the risk of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, without consideration for their legitimate protection needs, such as gender-based violence and the systematic erosion of the rights of women and girls, which violates international human rights and refugee law, and neglecting the non-return advisory from UNHCR," according to a report by Dawn.
The experts called on Pakistan to "immediately cease mass internal relocations, deportations, arrests, evictions, intimidation, and other pressures on Afghans to move back into Afghanistan, and to adhere to the absolute and non-negotiable principle of non-refoulement." (ANI)