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ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan faces a new political dilemma over the fate of thousands of Afghans who have been allowed to temporarily stay in the country under a U.S.-sponsored relocation program.
The uncertainty follows President Donald Trump’s decision to indefinitely suspend the initiative after the recent attack in Washington, throwing into limbo the future of Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the two-decade war.
Official sources told The Express PK Press Club that Pakistan was “closely monitoring” developments in Washington. “If the United States decides not to accept these individuals, Pakistan will have no choice but to send them back,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity. “Islamabad cannot indefinitely accommodate a population that was never meant to stay here permanently.”
The suspended program was intended to facilitate the resettlement of Afghans who served alongside U.S. troops, contractors and agencies during the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Washington worked with Islamabad to allow these Afghans to temporarily enter Pakistan for screening and treatment.
Pakistan accepted thousands of these people, many of whom were accompanied by families, on the understanding that their stay would be short-term and strictly for transit purposes.
The United States had assured Islamabad that all eligible Afghans would be relocated after security clearance and administrative formalities. However, the abrupt termination of the program has caused deep concern in official Pakistani circles.
“We offered temporary hospitality at Washington’s request,” another official said.
“Pakistan does not have the economic capacity or political space to absorb this population permanently.”
The suspension comes at a sensitive time, as Pakistan continues its sweeping campaign to repatriate Afghan refugees, a policy that has already resulted in the return of nearly a million Afghans, although officials maintain that the group awaiting resettlement by the United States is legally and administratively distinct.
“These individuals were here under a formal agreement with the United States. That is why their cases cannot be mixed with those of undocumented migrants,” the official said. “But today, Washington’s decision has changed the status quo.”
The Taliban government, for its part, has repeatedly urged neighboring states to repatriate their Afghan nationals, insisting that the security situation in the country has improved.
Human rights groups warn, however, that former interpreters, aid workers and others associated with the U.S. mission remain vulnerable to persecution.
Several of these Afghans currently residing in Pakistan expressed their concern after the announcement of the suspension of the program.
Pakistani officials privately acknowledge that the stalled resettlement process has added friction to an already complex bilateral relationship. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Washington to speed up the processing of Afghan applicants, arguing that delays create both security risks and a humanitarian burden.
Diplomatic sources say Pakistan has engaged U.S. officials to seek clarity on the future of the program. However, Trump’s indefinite suspension, announced following the Washington attack, signals a sea change in US immigration policy, with profound implications for partners like Pakistan that cooperated during the chaotic 2021 evacuation.
“If the United States permanently suspends the program, Islamabad will have to make a difficult decision. Keeping these Afghans indefinitely is simply not sustainable,” the official said.
For now, Pakistan should wait for official communication from Washington before making a final decision.
As uncertainty grows, thousands of Afghan families remain stranded, caught between an America that no longer appears willing to welcome them and a Pakistan that insists it cannot host them indefinitely.
