The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Archive: Why Pakistan is Deporting Afghan Refugees with Madiha Afzal
Dec 21, 2025
Madiha Afzal, a Fellow at the Brookings Institution and expert on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, discusses Pakistan's recent deportations of Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived there for generations. She reveals the complicated 45-year history between the two nations and how economic pressures and security concerns have driven this policy. Madiha argues that the Taliban's welcoming response is unlikely to sustain large returns and highlights the dire humanitarian challenges awaiting returnees in Afghanistan.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Decades-Long Refugee Presence
- Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees since 1979, shaped by the Soviet war and later U.S. involvement.
- Millions settled across generations, creating deep social and economic ties in Pakistan.
No Path To Citizenship
- Pakistan is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and offers temporary registration, not a path to citizenship.
- Refugees live in legal limbo with renewable registration cards that limit long-term integration.
Born In Pakistan, Still Sent Back
- Many long-term Afghan refugees are economically integrated and run shops across Pakistani cities.
- Some born in Pakistan are indistinguishable in accent and daily life yet still face expulsion.