Mapping of ACC holders finalised

As the March 31 deadline set by the government to repatriate all illegal foreigners approaches, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the repatriation process of the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. The ACC is an identification document issued to registered Afghan nationals by Nadra. According to the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the ACC gives temporary legal status to Afghans during their stay in Pakistan. However, the federal government makes the decision on the duration for which the ACC would remain valid. According to a government document, ACCs staying in Islamabad and Rawalpindi would be moved out and sent back to Afghanistan as part of a multiphase relocation plan for Afghan migrants, including those awaiting resettlement in third countries. The document shows that Proof of Registration (POR) card holders, who had been allowed an extended stay in the country till June 30, 2025, would be relocated from Islamabad and Rawalpindi to some other area. ACCs will be immediately relocated as part of Phase-I alongside undocumented Afghans and eventually repatriated to Afghanistan, according to the document. The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) has been in effect since November 2023, and in its second phase the ACC holders have been given a deadline of March 31 to voluntarily leave Pakistan. The interior minister stated that continuous coordination is being maintained between the federal and provincial governments regarding the repatriation process, and the federal government will provide full support to the provinces. Additionally, a committee has been formed based on the recommendations of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry will visit the provinces to resolve any issues arising during the repatriation process. Naqvi also directed the authorities concerned to ensure respectful treatment of foreign nationals. During the briefing, it was informed that all arrangements for the repatriation of the ACC holders have been completed. A door-to-door awareness campaign is underway, and the mapping of Afghan Citizen Card holders has been finalised. Furthermore, holding centers, food provisions, and healthcare facilities have also been arranged for those returning. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, the Federal Secretary for Interior, the Secretary for Kashmir Affairs & SAFRON, Chief Secretaries and Inspectors General (IGs) of all provinces, the Director General of FIA, the IG of Islamabad Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, the Coordinator of the National Action Plan, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Law, and security agencies. In November 2023, Pakistan launched a crackdown on undocumented foreigners. Since then, more than 815,000 individuals have been repatriated. One of US President Donald Trump's first actions upon returning to office was to halt the resettlement programme for Afghans, who had worked with US forces before its 2021 withdrawal or were involved in human rights activism. The suspension has disrupted the processing and relocation of nearly 25,000 Afghans currently in Pakistan, many of whom remain at risk of persecution under the Taliban regime due to their past affiliations.

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