Islamabad’s plea to Europe over India tensions gives EU leverage on Afghan refugee crisis: ICG

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has suggested that Islamabad’s outreach to European capitals for diplomatic support could provide the European Union and its member states with critical leverage to advocate for a more humane approach toward Afghan refugees.

In a commentary published Thursday, the ICG explained that the Pakistani government, preoccupied with growing hostilities along its eastern border, appears to have paused its controversial deportation campaign targeting Afghan refugees. This development, though likely temporary, offers a potential reprieve for thousands of vulnerable Afghans who have sought refuge in Pakistan.

“Islamabad’s calls upon major European capitals for diplomatic assistance in its effort to persuade New Delhi to scale down hostilities also provide the EU and member states with some sway,” the ICG stated. It urged EU to use this opportunity to pressure Pakistan to comply with international humanitarian norms, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which bars the forced return of individuals to places where they face persecution or violence.

EU and member states should urge Pakistan to extend the status of registered refugees with UN-issued Proof of Residence (PoR) cards beyond 30 June 2025, for at least another year, ICG said.

The think tank highlighted that progress on this front could be facilitated by the Islamic Emirate, particularly if they address Pakistan’s security concerns by relocating fighters from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) away from the border.

While encouraging Pakistan to uphold its humanitarian obligations, the ICG also calls on the EU and its member states to fulfil their responsibilities by accelerating the relocation of Afghan refugees seeking resettlement in Europe. It further recommends that the EU enhance its gender-responsive aid programs for both refugees and host communities in Pakistan, as well as for returnees in Afghanistan.

“The need of the hour,” the ICG concluded, “is a more humane approach by both Islamabad and Brussels toward a refugee population that is desperately in need of international support.”