The Associated Press (AP) reports that Pakistani authorities have extended the deadline for individuals without legal residence documents to leave the country until April 10. This extension coincides with the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr and adds nine extra days to the previous deadline.
Earlier, Pakistani authorities had set March 31 as the deadline for illegal immigrants, many of whom are Afghan nationals, to leave the country. This date also coincided with the first day of Eid. The extension has been made to allow more time for those without legal documents to depart.
The Pakistani authorities had previously stated that Afghan refugees who held Afghan Citizen Cards, which were issued by the Pakistani government, would be allowed to stay as their details were registered with the authorities. However, the deadline has now been extended to April 10.
The Pakistani government had begun expelling illegal immigrants in October 2023 and is now entering the second phase of this operation, which has been heavily criticized by human rights organizations.
Taliban officials have stated that Pakistan did not consult them regarding the expulsion of refugees and added that forcibly expelling refugees in such a manner would increase resentment against Pakistan and pose a challenge for Afghanistan in managing the return of large numbers of its citizens.