Pakistan to decide future of Afghan refugees holding POR cards in key meeting

KARACHI (Web Desk) – The Federal Ministry of Interior has convened a high-level meeting today to make crucial policy decisions regarding the future of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan who hold Proof of Registration (POR) cards.

In this emergency meeting, the ministry is expected to finalise a comprehensive strategy concerning the legal status, continued stay, or repatriation of more than 1.3 million Afghan refugees.

The meeting, chaired by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, will be attended by representatives from NADRA, chief secretaries and inspectors general of all four provinces, officials from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Director General of the FIA, the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, and representatives of intelligence agencies.

According to sources, the meeting will conduct a detailed review of the legal status of Afghan nationals holding POR cards. These cards allow Afghan refugees to reside legally in Pakistan without a visa, and many have been living in the country for decades.

Sources added that around 1.3 million individuals currently possess POR cards in Pakistan, while since September 2023, nearly 1 million Afghans have already returned to Afghanistan.

Expected outcomes of the meeting include decisions on whether to extend or revoke the validity of the POR cards and the formulation of a legal framework to address related matters.

These decisions are directly linked to national security and refugee management. Following the meeting, relevant institutions are likely to receive directives for the immediate implementation of the new policy.