Between Borders and Politics: The Woes of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

On the outskirts of Haripur, a city just 20 miles north of Islamabad, stands one of the largest refugee complexes in Pakistan, housing around two hundred thousand Afghans. This sprawling settlement serves as home to those who fled Afghanistan in the wake of the Soviet Invasion and, more recently, after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, which forced six hundred thousand more Afghans into Pakistan. This exodus represents one of the largest forced displacement crises in modern South Asian history. Among them is Dr Ahmad Masoud, 39 years of age, who lives in the settlement with his seven children—six daughters and one son. Masoud’s father migrated to Pakistan after the Red Army stormed Kabul and assassinated President Hafizullah Amin in 1979. Born and raised in Pakistan, Masoud completed his medical degrees with distinction and obtained a practicing license. His journey epitomizes the complex reality of second-generation Afghan refugees—those who know no other home but Pakistan.

“Despite all this hard work to settle down and despite having an Afghan Citizen Card, I face deportation to Afghanistan. Yesterday, I looked at my six daughters and felt depressed for the first time in my life. I will be leaving my clients, my house, and a dream behind.’’

This situation is part of Pakistan’s ongoing campaign to deport hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees. Since April 1, 2025, Pakistan has accelerated deportations, with the United Nations reporting at least 8,906 Afghan nationals deported in just the first week of April. Over 813,000 Afghans have been forced to return to Afghanistan between October 2023 and January 2025, creating a humanitarian crisis. Many of those being deported, like Dr. Masoud, were born in Pakistan or have spent decades there, considering it their only home.