August 23, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
Afghan students living in Pakistan have been overwhelmed with anxiety and worry as the deportation deadline for Afghan refugees is approaching.
Rauf, an Afghan student pursuing an MPhil at the University of Peshawar, is in the final semester of his degree. Like many others, he fears that once the deadline ends, he may be deported and forced to suspend his studies.
“Admissions for the new session have already started, but PoR cardholder Afghan students face a dilemma—should we take admission or not, given the uncertainty of our stay in Pakistan? Students believe that if the government expels our families, we too will be expelled, since we do not have separate visas,” Rauf told Voicepk.
He explains that deportation would have a severe impact on Afghan students’ lives.
“All of our education has been done in Urdu and English. If we are sent back to Afghanistan, we will face an alien curriculum taught in Persian and Pashto—languages most of us do not know well,” he says. “Adjusting will be extremely difficult, almost like starting our education from scratch. Another challenge is that Afghanistan’s new administration relies heavily on madrassa-based religious education instead of ‘worldly’ education. The environment there is unsuitable for us because we are accustomed to Pakistan’s academic system.”
Rauf adds that authorities in KP had recently gathered data of Afghan students enrolled in universities. “We fear that if Afghan refugees are expelled, the government may also direct universities to cancel our admissions unless we provide visas—which are nearly impossible to obtain. Even with strong connections, it takes six to eight months to secure a visa,” he said.
Students appeal for extension
To raise their concerns, Afghan students held a press conference in Peshawar this Tuesday, led by Naqeebullah Ayubi, Asadullah Safi, journalist Muskan Safi, Inayatullah Mohmand, and Irshad Sherazi. They urged the government to grant a four–five-year extension so students could complete their education in a safe environment.
They stressed that they were not seeking permanent residency, only time to finish their studies. Forced return to Afghanistan, they warned, would jeopardize their futures amid widespread poverty, unemployment, and a crumbling education system. They also appealed to UNHCR for financial assistance and protection.
The Government of Pakistan has announced that all Afghan nationals must leave the country by 31 August 2025, or face arrest and deportation. The decision applies to all refugees—whether they hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), or no documents at all.
With no exemptions for students, the deadline means many may be forced to abandon their education midway. For Afghan girls in particular, this could be devastating. With girls’ education banned in Afghanistan, deportation would not just interrupt their studies but end them permanently.
Afghan girls at risk of losing everything
Shakeela Rehman, an Afghan student born in Pakistan, is pursuing an MPhil in Political Science at the University of Peshawar. She chose her field in hopes of contributing to policymaking in Afghanistan, particularly in women’s education.
She also writes occasionally and runs a youth club. “For many Afghan girls, studying in Pakistan has been a dream come true—something impossible in Afghanistan. As refugees, we’ve faced poverty, discrimination, and many hurdles. Education has been our light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Now, with this deportation order, a wall has been built in front of us, blocking our path.”
She added, “This is not just about deporting people—it’s about shattering hopes and dreams. We want to return to Afghanistan and rebuild our country, but the reality is that women there are not allowed to study or work. We were born here, built our lives here, buried our ancestors here. Now the government is telling us to leave in just two months—it’s beyond comprehension.”
Rehman described the mental toll the looming deadline has taken. “We cannot focus on our studies, businessmen cannot focus on their work, even worshippers are distracted. The sword of deportation is constantly hanging over our heads. Our future is completely uncertain.”
A shock wave for refugees
Muskan Safi, an Afghan journalist who worked with the Voice of America Pashto service and also spoke at the press conference, told Voicepk that Afghan refugees feel betrayed.
“In 2006, the government of Pakistan, in collaboration with UNHCR, issued PoR cards to Afghan refugees, granting them temporary legal status and freedom of movement. These were renewed in 2012 and again in 2021, which gave us hope that renewals would continue. But instead, in July, the government abruptly ordered us to leave. This sent shockwaves through the 1.3 million PoR cardholders in Pakistan.”
She pointed out that the government’s directive—that refugees return to Afghanistan and apply for visas to re-enter Pakistan—is practically impossible. “We never came here on visas in the first place. Now, for families of 20–30 people, visas would cost millions. And even then, without connections in the embassy, getting one is nearly impossible.”
Safi added that UNHCR had been hoping the government would extend the deadline by six months and had even submitted a request to the federal cabinet. “The announcement shocked UNHCR as well. They told us it was deeply disappointing. However, they are still in talks with the Ministry of SAFRON and other officials. If successful, we hope to get at least a three–four-year extension so the process can be managed gradually.”
UNHCR
Voicepk reached out to UNHCR Pakistan spokesperson Qaiser Afridi to ask whether the agency had conveyed Afghan students’ concerns to the government and about the discontinuation of cash support for scholarship students. he said, “UNHCR strongly urges the Government of Pakistan to apply measures to exempt Afghans with continued international protection needs from involuntary return. We also appeal to Pakistan’s established goodwill to allow legal stay for Afghans with medical needs, those currently pursuing higher education, or in mixed marriages. UNHCR has expressed its readiness to support the Government to establish the necessary mechanisms.”
“UNHCR is deeply concerned over Pakistan’s plan to repatriate more than 1.3 million Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” he said, warning that forced and hasty returns could endanger lives, destabilize the region, and violate the principle of non-refoulement.
While acknowledging Pakistan’s decades of generosity in hosting refugees, the agency urged the government to exempt vulnerable Afghans from involuntary return, extend the validity of PoR cards, and ensure any repatriation is voluntary, gradual, and dignified.
Regarding the student exemption, the statement reads