The Ungrateful Afghan Refugees: A Burden Pakistan Can No Longer Bear
Introduction The humanitarian assistance functions extended to Afghanistan for 40 years from Pakistan. In the spirit of brotherhood and Islamic fellow-feeling, millions of Afghan refugees were welcomed when they had no other option. Today, that chapter is closing. After years of economic deterioration, rising crime rates, and national security issues, Pakistan is finding it difficult to expel illegal Afghan nationals from its territory. The question still remains: Is that ingratitude paid in hostility?
A brief historical perspective from 1979 to 2021 The refugee crisis in Pakistan, among other countries, began when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. An estimated 3 million Afghans came across the borders to seek refuge in Pakistan. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this was considered one of the very biggest and longest refugee situations throughout the world. Even though Pakistan recognized the limitation of its resources, it provided food, shelters, education, and medical assistance. Camps were set up across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (then NWFP) and Balochistan. During the course of the 1980s and 1990s, while suffering internal obstacles, Pakistan still continued to shoulder the burden. This continued through the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and after the Taliban resurgence beyond 2021. According to UNHCR, the number of registered Afghan refugees in the country is around 1.3 million by 2022; however, it is said that over 2.5 million Afghan refugees have illegally or are living in uncertain legal status.
Pakistan’s Generosity and Its Heavy Costs Pakistan has continued to suffer far-reaching economic costs. The Afghan refugees have cost Pakistan billions of dollars over the years with little help from the international community. The Afghan community has made permanent settlements in cities like Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Islamabad, often in the informal workforce. The counter-costs for this hospitality are:
Terrorism and Crime: After the fall of Kabul in 2021, Afghan networks were associated with several terror incidents; arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and organized crime boomed in areas that host a lot of refugees.
Economic Pressure: The economy was already in trouble, and Pakistan could not bear these informal populations. Afghan laborers would often compete for even lesser wages than the locals, which led to further tensions.
Demographic Burden: Urban planning, education, health, and security sectors were crippled. The Pakistani populace residing in areas with more refugees continued to raise concerns over rising crime rates and the competition for basic resources.
The Final Straw: Taliban’s Arrogance and Afghan Ungratefulness When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Pakistan hoped for some cooperation on regional security and the refugee situation. Instead, Afghan officials were increasingly hostile to Pakistan and started refusing to accept deported Afghans. On the other hand, attacks on Pakistani forces began to increase, many of which were linked to the TTP, which is said to operate from across the border. In spite of sheltering millions, Pakistan was losing a battle against anti-Pakistan sentiment from Afghan social media users and political voices. Ironically, the very country that protected them is now being vented against.
Pakistan Has Announced Mass Deportation in October 2023 During October 2023, Pakistan announced they would start deporting illegal Afghan nationals, with the deadline for them to leave being 1st November. To human rights groups, the decision was not welcomed, but to many Pakistanis, it sounded good since they had always considered the refugee population a burden that was growing impossible to sustain.
Key Highlights of the Deportation Drive: Undocumented Afghans were only meant. To stay: Registered refugees possessing a Proof of Registration (PoR) card or Afghan Citizen Card (ACC). A special team was set up to monitor the activity. More than 500,000 undocumented Afghans had either left voluntarily or were deported.
Afghans’ Responses: Defiance Instead of Gratitude. Rather than cooperate, the Taliban regime protested Pakistan’s decision and refused to offer help for reintegration. The border tensions continued escalating. Afghan officials accused Pakistan of “inhuman behavior,” forgetting the four decades of being sheltered and supported without conditions.
Public Sentiment: Enough is Enough The decision to expel outsiders was warmly welcomed by the public in Pakistan, particularly in the border provinces. They have had to suffer these past years due to lawlessness and the economic burden placed upon them by illegal Afghan migrants. The hashtags #DeportAfghans and #PakistanFirst went on trending for days on social networks such as X. Many were expressing disenchantment with how Afghanistan is repaying the goodwill of Pakistan with crime, ungratefulness, and opposition. The new chapter comes with bitter lessons learned in the conclusion. Pakistan is unrivaled in hospitality. No other country has kept Afghan refugees so long and so generously. But goodwill has a limit-in the end, national security and economic survival must come first. This deportation decision is a watershed not only in refugee policy but also in future bilateral arrangements between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The time has come for us to start choosing citizens over refugees. Appreciation cannot be demanded, but neither can it be taken back with betrayal.
Call to Action: Do not hesitate to share this article with others if it strikes a chord in your heart. Let the world know that Pakistan’s tale of sacrifice, hospitality, and generosity is never a synonym of weakness. A country that stands for itself for decades deserves at least acknowledgment, if not a thanks.
