Afghan Refugees op/ed by Ambassador Tariq Osman Hyder

[studsmart]

what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000' - i think with kids and married they are approx 5.5 million, this number is above and beyond deported and another ~2 million ... am i correct in my understanding?

 

[hussain0216]

what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000' - i think with kids and married they are approx 5.5 million, this number is above and beyond deported and another ~2 million ... am i correct in my understanding?

That's what I am saying, this is the community amongst whom the terrorists operate

Unless we get rid of them, our enemies will always have a space to operate

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

That is because of the politics. You take the politics out and Afghans with Pakistanis are no different than any other Muslim demographic. Not everything can/should be seen through the lens of nation-state politics.

True. Take nation state politics out and Palestinians and Israelis are literally the same semites. Sunshine and rainbows. Politics ruined everything.

/S

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000' - i think with kids and married they are approx 5.5 million, this number is above and beyond deported and another ~2 million ... am i correct in my understanding?

Everyone will be deported but it will take few years. 10k/daily going back is good start.

Those with forged CNIC could take years to find them.

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000' - i think with kids and married they are approx 5.5 million, this number is above and beyond deported and another ~2 million ... am i correct in my understanding?

What do you mean by "what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000"? Who do you think are being deported since 2023?

There is a group of Punjabi nationalists here that seems to over estimate total numbers provided by even the Punjabi nationalist federal government stats by a magnitude of 10, so they can target Pakistani Pashtuns under the garb of afghans Zia ul Haq indici imported.

The max number the the government has estimated when deportations started was around 4 million, only 2.1 were legal. With 1.7 million deported, it's around 2 million give or take.

Then there are Punjabi nationalists who then come up with numbers like 20 million with no evidence whatsoever other than their own "feelings". That's every 10th person and clearly no longer about afghans but ethnic cleansing.

This is why Punjabi nationalists are worst among all ethno nationalists. Atleast the other don't hide behind the Pakistani flag to strike at its roots. They do it openly and are easier to weed out.

 

[Blain2]

True. Take nation state politics out and Palestinians and Israelis are literally the same semites. Sunshine and rainbows. Politics ruined everything.

/S

Prior to 1948, they all lived together in relative peace. I.e. Arab Muslims, Christians and the Jews.

 

[PK781]

What do you mean by "what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000"? Who do you think are being deported since 2023?

There is a group of Punjabi nationalists here that seems to over estimate total numbers provided by even the Punjabi nationalist federal government stats by a magnitude of 10, so they can target Pakistani Pashtuns under the garb of afghans Zia ul Haq indici imported.

The max number the the government has estimated when deportations started was around 4 million, only 2.1 were legal. With 1.7 million deported, it's around 2 million give or take.

Then there are Punjabi nationalists who then come up with numbers like 20 million with no evidence whatsoever other than their own "feelings". That's every 10th person and clearly no longer about afghans but ethnic cleansing.

This is why Punjabi nationalists are worst among all ethno nationalists. Atleast the other don't hide behind the Pakistani flag to strike at its roots. They do it openly and are easier to weed out.

while you're perhaps right about the number.....but for all of us Pakistanis, even 1 of them is a big number. We all want them to return to their own country and leave us with our country. We got enough issues of our own to deal with. Simply cant afford unwanted criminal refugees.
I don't know about people of KPK but as a punjabi myself , we know that we just cannot accept or exist in harmony with the afghans. They call us names and we have our own slang for them too. WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THEM. They're simply not pakistani.........that's why the dislike/hatred for them is so big and huge and ingrained that even 1 of them appears as if they're 10 and we want them out. Their wild behaviours in our country (and even in west) is appalling and very annoying and they have like overlords who want to takeover.
Not sure if our KP brothers feel the same way, perhaps you can confirm

We simply need ALL of them gone from Pakistan, and need to shut the border and visas for them for good. Let them go bother some other neighbouring countries for everything. We've done enough for a long time and its time to cut everything for them

 

[Distant_Observer]

while you're perhaps right about the number.....but for all of us Pakistanis, even 1 of them is a big number. We all want them to return to their own country and leave us with our country. We got enough issues of our own to deal with. Simply cant afford unwanted criminal refugees.
I don't know about people of KPK but as a punjabi myself , we know that we just cannot accept or exist in harmony with the afghans. They call us names and we have our own slang for them too. WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THEM. They're simply not pakistani.........that's why the dislike/hatred for them is so big and huge and ingrained that even 1 of them appears as if they're 10 and we want them out. Their wild behaviours in our country (and even in west) is appalling and very annoying and they have like overlords who want to takeover.
Not sure if our KP brothers feel the same way, perhaps you can confirm

We simply need ALL of them gone from Pakistan, and need to shut the border and visas for them for good. Let them go bother some other neighbouring countries for everything. We've done enough for a long time and its time to cut everything for them

They made us believe afghan settlers were more important than our muhajirs and non Muslim minorities. These are some of the most patriot peaceful Pakistanis.

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

Pakistan Iran Afghanistan Tri border area. Afghans cross into chagai district then into iran.

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[Starlord]

Pakistan Iran Afghanistan Tri border area. Afghans cross into chagai district then into iran.

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You are telling me these Afghans are not going to United states of Afghanistan where rivers of Milk and honey runs?

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Pakistan Iran Afghanistan Tri border area. Afghans cross into chagai district then into iran.

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Today news, ECC aproves Rs50 billion for fencing of Pak-Iran border.

ECC approves Reko Diq mineral exports via Port Qasim

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet on Tuesday granted its approval for the export of minerals from Reko Diq through the Bulk Terminal at Port Qasim, winding up of...

www.thenews.com.pk

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

while you're perhaps right about the number.....but for all of us Pakistanis, even 1 of them is a big number. We all want them to return to their own country and leave us with our country. We got enough issues of our own to deal with. Simply cant afford unwanted criminal refugees.
I don't know about people of KPK but as a punjabi myself , we know that we just cannot accept or exist in harmony with the afghans. They call us names and we have our own slang for them too. WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THEM. They're simply not pakistani.........that's why the dislike/hatred for them is so big and huge and ingrained that even 1 of them appears as if they're 10 and we want them out. Their wild behaviours in our country (and even in west) is appalling and very annoying and they have like overlords who want to takeover.
Not sure if our KP brothers feel the same way, perhaps you can confirm

We simply need ALL of them gone from Pakistan, and need to shut the border and visas for them for good. Let them go bother some other neighbouring countries for everything. We've done enough for a long time and its time to cut everything for them

People of KP are more Pro deportations than people in Punjab or Sindh where only a fraction of afghans reside. Long before the current deportations, Kala ba ze (when are you leaving) became a famous catchphrase in KPK to troll the afghan settlers

85% of KP backs deportations. 77% is national average.

Whether it was deportations or fencing, the people have said and done nothing to oppose them. Politicians bark here and there for point scoring but even they never tried to arrange even a mere protest.

The bottle neck was never people of KP not did we invite the Afghans to settle here, it was Zia ul Haq from Jalandhar, Punjab.

Even Today the bottleneck is federal govt refusal to adequately man the border. Fencing alone isnt enough

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

Update as of November 8, 2025.

917,490 have been deported in 2025.

1,723,481 (1.72 million) Afghan illegal settlers have been repatriated back to Afghanistan since illegal foreigners repatriation plan began in 2023 under Kakar caretaker government.


There are still give or take 2 million pre 2023 afghan settlers in Pakistan.

Illegal foreigners repatriation program, which has been active only 10 months since it began in 2023 with a complete pause in ,2024 until April 2025, has successfully repatriated 43-45% of pre program afghan population. By end of of December 2025 that figure might cross 50%, in 12 months of operation. 50% in one year basically.

Pakistan could be near end of the program by now had it not paused in 2024.View attachment 159460

Update as of November 15, 2025.

961,561 have been deported in 2025.

1,767,552 (1.767 million) Afghan illegal settlers have been repatriated back to Afghanistan since illegal foreigners repatriation plan began in 2023 under Kakar caretaker government.
44,071 since tha update one week ago which is ~6,296 per day.


There are still give or take 2 million pre 2023 afghan settlers in Pakistan. At the current rate, we will be close to completely repatriating pre-2023 Afghans by end of 2026.

Pakistan could be near end of the program by now had it not paused in 2024.

Balochistan remains the most proactive province.

 

[studsmart]

What do you mean by "what about those 5.5 million that has settled since 80'90'2000"? Who do you think are being deported since 2023?

There is a group of Punjabi nationalists here that seems to over estimate total numbers provided by even the Punjabi nationalist federal government stats by a magnitude of 10, so they can target Pakistani Pashtuns under the garb of afghans Zia ul Haq indici imported.

The max number the the government has estimated when deportations started was around 4 million, only 2.1 were legal. With 1.7 million deported, it's around 2 million give or take.

Then there are Punjabi nationalists who then come up with numbers like 20 million with no evidence whatsoever other than their own "feelings". That's every 10th person and clearly no longer about afghans but ethnic cleansing.

This is why Punjabi nationalists are worst among all ethno nationalists. Atleast the other don't hide behind the Pakistani flag to strike at its roots. They do it openly and are easier to weed out.

So you are telling me that the total number of Afghans settled in Pakistan since the 1979 crisis / soviet invasion till 2024 is 4 million. Once these 4 million are sent back by and large ... no more Afghans left in Pakistan. is that what you are stating?

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

so you are telling me that total number of afghans settled in Pakistan since 1979 crisis / soviet invasion till 2024 is 4 million. once there 4 million are send back by and large no more afgans left in the Pakistan. is that what you are stating?

Afghans "refugees" came and left in waves. The 4(+- 0.5) million are residuals. Remnants. 1.4 million were registered as POR. 6-700k or so as ACC. Basically 2-2.1 million as registered. Another 2 million illegals. These are 2023 numbers. 1.77 million have since left, we don't know how many more have comeback. 2-300k would be a reasonable guess.

Total afghans that have used Pakistan as revolving door would around 10 million. Some left when soviets left, some left when mujahideen fell, some ran when mujahideen fell. A lot more went back on Taliban fell, some returned when Taliban returned. The rich among those who came to Pakistan left for Europe and Americas and Gulf. The middle class stayed in cities while the poor stayed in camps and villages with no money for mobility.

All Govt numbers, UNHCR or any third party estimates fall around 3.5-4.4 million back in 2023.

There are another 250k afghans with fake Pakistani identities. Once the main group is repatriated, it won't take as much effort to cleanse them out of the system. As the data shows, 250k can be easily deported within one month or so.

So to answer your question, more or less, yes. (For pre 2023 afghans)