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Pakistan bans stay of Afghans without NOC in Islamabad from 2025
Pakistani authorities arrested nearly 1,000 supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who stormed the capital this week to demand his release, the city’s police chief said on Wednesday. Those arrested reportedly include Afghans.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced that from December 31, no Afghan nationals will be allowed to stay in Islamabad without a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Speaking to the media, Naqvi reaffirmed the government’s stance on regulating foreign nationals in the capital, the Express Tribune reported.
“After December 31, anyone from Afghanistan without an NOC will be required to leave Islamabad,” Naqvi said, highlighting the government’s increased vigilance over foreign residents in the city.
Pakistani authorities arrested nearly 1,000 supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who stormed the capital this week to demand his release, the city’s police chief said on Wednesday. Those arrested reportedly include Afghans.
Addressing the aftermath of the recent protests, Naqvi dismissed claims about numerous fatalities circulating on social media.
“There is a lot of noise about bodies in hospitals, but no one is giving specifics. I asked the protesters to provide the name of even one person who died. Their embarrassment is evident as they struggle to name anyone,” he said.
The Interior Minister emphasized that a comprehensive report on the protests would soon be submitted to the High Court.
On 3 October 2023, Pakistan endorsed a plan to repatriate over a million foreigners without valid documents, largely Afghans, requiring them to leave the country by 1 November.
Since 15 September, over 722,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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