KARACHI: Refugee leaders in Karachi on Saturday urged the Pakistani authorities to reconsider their plan to expel Afghan nationals, saying the prospect of deportation during Eid was the harshest blow they could expect from a country that had generously hosted them for nearly five decades.
Earlier this month, the government announced that Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders must leave Pakistan by March 31, a deadline expected to coincide with Eid al-Fitr.
According to UN data, Pakistan hosts more than 2.8 million Afghans, many of whom fled decades of war and instability in their home country. Around 1.3 million of them are formally registered as refugees and hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which grant them legal protections.
Another 800,000 Afghans possess ACCs, a separate identity document issued by the Pakistani government that recognizes them as Afghan nationals without offering refugee status.
With the government now requiring ACC holders to leave by March 31, a deadline expected to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, nearly 800,000 Afghans, including an estimated 65,000 in Karachi, face the prospect of being forcibly returned to a country many have never even seen.
“We appeal to the government of Pakistan to reconsider its decision to expel Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards,” said Haji Abdullah Shah Bukhari, chairman of the refugee community in Sindh, at a news conference in Karachi.
“Pakistan has generously hosted us for nearly 47 years, and a large portion of these refugees were born in Pakistan,” he continued. “Even if the government decides to expel us, it should not be done during Eid.”
Bukhari urged the authorities to allow more time for refugees to prepare, warning that many would be forced to live in tents in Afghanistan, where they have no homes to return to.
Islamabad has previously attributed militant attacks and other crimes to Afghan nationals, who make up the largest share of migrants in the country. The government claims that militants, particularly from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operate from safe havens in Afghanistan and maintain ties with Afghans living in Pakistan to stage cross-border attacks. Kabul has consistently denied these accusations.
Bukhari, however, stressed that Afghan refugees in Pakistan had no links to militant violence in the country.
“We ourselves are victims of war and terrorism,” he said.
Mufti Rahim Ullah, another refugee elder, said his fellow nationals consider Pakistan their home.
“I arrived in Pakistan over three decades ago with my parents. I married a refugee woman born in Pakistan, and all my children were born and raised here. Pakistan is our country, and we love it. We condemn anyone who wants to harm Pakistan,” he said, adding that fear had gripped refugee settlements across Karachi.
Agha Syed Mustafa, another Afghan national and school principal, said law enforcement agencies lacked clarity during crackdowns, leading to the harassment of all of his community members, including those holding PoR cards.
“There should be clarity, and any operation should be conducted in consultation with the local [Afghan] community,” he said.
Mustafa urged the government to urgently review the deportation decision and allow refugees more time.
“They should be given more time so that they can plan their return to Afghanistan,” he said.

KARACHI: Pakistan has discovered significant reserves of antimony, a critical metal traditionally used in batteries, semiconductors and flame retardants, in the mineral-rich southwestern province of Balochistan, the country’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) said on Saturday.
The strategic significance of the discovery lies in its use in military equipment such as infrared missiles, nuclear weapons, night vision goggles and as a hardening agent for bullets and tanks. China is currently the largest producer of antimony in the world, though the discovery could also prove highly beneficial for Pakistan’s economy and defense sector.
“Significant antimony reserves have been discovered in Balochistan, and a comprehensive commercial plan has been developed by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC),” the SIFC statement informed.
“OGDCL and PMDC have entered into a 50:50 partnership, with the formal announcement of the joint venture expected during the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 on April 8–9,” it added.
Pakistan has designated mining and minerals as a priority sector for national economic development, aiming to reduce its reliance on imports and enhance exports. The government has launched a series of reforms and events to attract local and international investment in the sector. The SIFC, a civil-military body established in 2023, serves as a one-window platform to streamline such investments and facilitate economic activity across key sectors.
According to the SIFC, Pakistan is also making headway in acquiring ten mineral blocks in Gilgit-Baltistan, where gold, copper, nickel and cobalt deposits have been confirmed.
In Punjab, coordination is underway between the OGDCL and the provincial mineral department to explore mineral deposits in Chiniot, where previous surveys have indicated iron, copper and gold potential.
Pakistan is also exploring the possibility of leveraging refining facilities in Oman to process extracted antimony, which would reduce local infrastructure constraints and accelerate the commercialization process.
To support the mining sector’s long-term growth, the SIFC said the government wants to align academic curricula with international standards and has committed to working with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and local universities to produce a skilled workforce.
The announcements come just days ahead of the high-profile Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025, where the government is expected to highlight the country’s mineral wealth and attract both domestic and international investors.