ISLAMABAD (TNS); The Pakistani government has ordered Afghan citizens to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi. An Afghan citizen Lal Agha, residing in Pakistan with his Pakistani wife, has filed a writ petition in the High Court for Pakistani citizenship. That the court, on the application for Pakistani citizenship, direct the respondents (Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, and NADRA) to take a final decision on the extension of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghan refugees. The applicant has been doing business in Pakistan without any complaint for 25 years. He wants to obtain Pakistani citizenship but has not received a response to his applications. Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Due to the new Legal Procedure Order (SRO) of the Ministry of Interior, the Afghan refugees are expected to return home. The PoR cards expired on June 30, 2025, due to which the stay is considered illegal. Human rights groups and refugee protection agencies are concerned about the living conditions and security of Afghan refugees. There are about 1.4 million Afghan POR card holders in Pakistan. About 389,000 returned from Pakistan this year. A final decision on the extension of POR cards should be made, and they should be directed not to harass Afghan citizens in Pakistan.
