In the sacred month of Ramadan, when our hearts are meant to soften and hands meant to give, something deeply troubling unfolded across Pakistan’s streets: the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees, families who have known only war, statelessness, and generational trauma, yet once found refuge and a sliver of hope among us.
As a citizen of this country, humanitarian worker, and above all, a woman who has personally heard the voices of Afghan mothers, daughters, students, and workers, I can not remain silent.
I have met women who crossed borders barefoot, infants wrapped in shawls, their futures uncertain, but their faith unbroken. I’ve spoken to young men born in refugee camps who now speak Urdu as fluently as Pashto, who once studied in our classrooms, served in our markets, and bowed beside us in prayer. Today, those same children are being loaded into trucks like contraband, dismissed from the only homeland they’ve ever known.
Their only “crime” is survival.
Let us not romanticize history while forgetting its cost. Since the 1980s, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees, often without international support proportionate to the burden. Our hospitality was a symbol of our strength, not weakness. But now, in a time of our own political and economic distress, we risk tarnishing that legacy by reversing it. Worse, during Eid, when faith demands that we protect the vulnerable, feed the hungry, and honour the displaced.
We are not just deporting refugees. We are dismantling lives, futures, and the very trust that has long anchored regional peacebuilding.
We must ask, will this mass forced deportation solve our systemic problems?
The Humanitarian Toll and the Policy Blind Spot
The recent mass deportations have lacked both transparency and strategy. The targeting of students, women, and children,some of families have lived here for over four decades, raises serious ethical and legal concerns. Many had documentation, others were in the process of registration, and most had no ties to criminal activity. Collective punishment is not policy.
What we need is differentiated, data-driven policymaking that separates security risks from vulnerable populations. Law enforcement must address criminal elements specifically, not generalize blame to an entire community. Otherwise, we risk sowing mistrust, resentment, and radicalization, the very things we claim to fight.
There is precedent for better action. Countries like Canada, Australia, and many European countries have introduced pathways to permanent residency for long-term refugees. Local integration and legal frameworks, backed by biometric registration and social inclusion plans, have proven more effective than mass deportations, both socially and economically.
Why can’t Pakistan, with its decades of hosting experience, build its own refugee integration model rooted in our cultural values, Islamic principles, and geopolitical realities?
We must remember, Pakistan is a founding member of the United Nations and bound by its Charter, which compels all member states to uphold the dignity and worth of every human being. The principle of non-refoulement,a cornerstone of international refugee law, prohibits returning individuals to countries where their lives or freedoms are at risk. Even though Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, this principle is now considered customary international law, binding on all states, including ours.
Furthermore, under UNHCR’s Global Compact on Refugees, countries are encouraged to share responsibility for displaced populations equitably. Afghanistan’s crises, ongoing conflict, hunger, and the repression of women remain unresolved. Deporting people back to danger is not a solution; it’s an abdication of responsibility.
Rather than a blanket policy of expulsion, we need a three-tiered policy framework:
1. Regularization for Long-Term Refugees
Provide legal pathways to stay for refugees who have lived peacefully in Pakistan for over a decade, especially those born and raised here, with proof of residence, employment, or education.
2. Voluntary, Safe, and Phased Repatriation
Where return is possible, ensure coordination with Afghan authorities and international agencies to guarantee safety, dignity, and reintegration support.
3. Bilateral and Multilateral Engagement
Pakistan must push for regional refugee compacts, aid partnerships, and funding from the international community to support both host communities and returnees.
These policies will not only safeguard refugees, they will help us, too. Documented individuals can contribute to the economy, access education and healthcare, and reduce the strain on informal systems. Integration reduces social friction and enhances internal security.
This is not just about policy. It is about who we are and who we aspire to be. Islam teaches us to protect the traveller, honour the guest, and never turn away the seeker of shelter.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself was once a refugee in Medina.
Have we forgotten the mercy that defined that era?
Yes, Pakistan is under pressure. But greatness is not measured in how we treat the powerful, but how we protect the powerless.
History is watching. The next generation is watching.
Let them remember that we chose dignity over division, reason over reaction, and compassion over cruelty.
Let them remember that Pakistan stood tall, not because we shut the gates, but because we opened our hearts.
Dr Rabia Noor
Graduate of University of Leeds, UK, expert in strategic and humanitarian initiatives. Advocates for innovation and collaboration to advance women development and healthcare. Can be reached out at drrabonoor or https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rabia-noor-
