Pakistan: Flow Monitoring of Afghan Nationals – Annual Report (2025)

Countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan Source: International Organization for Migration Please refer to the attached file. Instability in Afghanistan during the past decades has led to a substantial influx of Afghans into Pakistan. While cross-border movements between both countries have always been characterized by economic drivers, healthcare access, education, family visits, trade, protection risks, and security, movements are more recently also influenced by policies and public sentiments calling for the expulsion of Afghan nationals from Pakistan. In September 2023, heightening pressure on Afghan nationals, the government of Pakistan (GoP) formally announced the implementation of the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan” (“IFRP”). The “IFRP” outlines the repatriation of Afghan nationals in three phases: undocumented Afghans, Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, and Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders. The GoP implemented the first Phase of the “IFRP”, targeting primarily undocumented Afghans, starting from November 2023. Although additional phases of the “IFRP” were not launched in 2024, implementation of the first Phase continued throughout the year with fluctuating intensity. Rumours surrounding the possible rollout of a second Phase also influenced return movements. In 2025, Afghan returns from Pakistan rose sharply to 1, 125, 946 individuals, an increase of 810, 846 people compared with the 315, 100 returns recorded in 2024—the highest annual figure since IOM began Flow Monitoring (FM) in 2017. Of these returns, 14 per cent (154, 663 individuals) were deportations, also marking a significant rise from 2024 and reaching an all-time high. This surge in returns can be directly linked to the intensified implementation of the “IFRP” in 2025.

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