Pakistan’s Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) has instructed authorities throughout Pakistan to immediately cease any actions against Afghan refugees who possess valid Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, as the government reviews a possible extension of their repatriation deadline.

In an official notice, SAFRON communicated with the governments of all four provinces, along with the administrations of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, urging them to suspend any measures targeting registered Afghan refugees. The ministry specifically directed senior officials and police chiefs in Islamabad, AJK, and GB to ensure that PoR cardholders are not harassed or detained, SAMAA television channel reported.

The letter noted that the timeline for the voluntary return of PoR cardholders is currently under reconsideration, and authorities have been told not to take any enforcement or deportation actions against Afghan nationals with valid documentation until a decision is made.

Currently, more than 1.3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan hold PoR cards issued jointly by the UNHCR and the Government of Pakistan, granting them temporary legal status.

Last week, uncertainty surrounded the status of PoR cardholders as their repatriation deadline expired.

SAMAA reported that a plan was being discussed to grant Afghan refugees a further three to six months in Pakistan under the PoR card program. However, neither SAFRON nor the Ministry of Interior had submitted the necessary summary for cabinet approval.

Previously, the government had approved a one-year extension for PoR cardholders, which ended on June 30—a decision that was welcomed by humanitarian groups and the global community.