Pakistan Urges Resettlement of Afghan Nationals by April

Pakistan has called on the international community to expedite the resettlement of thousands of Afghan nationals currently stranded in the country, warning that those not relocated by April 30 could face deportation.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said Islamabad had communicated the deadline to host countries months ago and is unlikely to extend it. “We have cooperated fully, but we expect the international community to fulfill its responsibility,” he said.

The announcement comes amid mounting frustration over delays in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which has been temporarily paused, leaving more than 25,000 Afghans—many of whom fled the Taliban’s return to power in 2021—in limbo.

Most of these individuals had worked alongside U.S. military personnel, NGOs, media organizations, or human rights groups, and were promised safe passage to the United States or allied nations. In the meantime, they have remained in Pakistan, caught in a bureaucratic and political gridlock with no clear timeline for resettlement.

Chaudhry's remarks have added urgency to an already tense situation, as rights organizations warn that forced returns could expose many Afghans to serious threats under Taliban rule.

Pakistan has repeatedly stressed that it cannot indefinitely host large numbers of displaced people without firm international cooperation. The April 30 deadline now looms as a critical moment for thousands awaiting their future.