There are conflicting media reports about Pakistan's decision to expel Afghan refugees by the end of this year. There are 1.7 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan with legal documentation, while another million illegally.
Pakistani media reported last week that their cabinet in a meeting in 2010 had decided to expel all Afghan refugees by the end of 2012.

Afghan officials and MP's have expressed concerns about the decision. Officials from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation have said that the government has urged Islamabad to revoke their decision. The Ministry said it would be against the Geneva Conventions to expel Afghan refugees by force against their will. Though Islamabad has not officially conveyed the message to Kabul, but several Pakistani media outlets quoting their officials have reported it. Pakistan and Iran earlier at an international conference in Switzerland had promised not to force Afghan refugees to leave, and reiterated same commitment in Turkmenistan.

Officials at the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation say if Pakistan expels three million Afghan refugees, the Government will not be able to accommodate them. The Government can only provide basic facilities for 400,000 returnees that include shelter for 72 hours, transport cost, $150 for each returnee and land plots.

Though the United Nation Human Rights Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has doubted the Pakistani media reports, but officials from Islamabad have not denied yet. Foreign Ministry should take notice of the issue and officially convey concerns to Pakistan, if the media reports about expulsion of Afghan refugees are true.

Pakistan is bound to fulfill its obligation under international conventions on refugee and human rights. They cannot expel Afghan refugees, who hold refugee registration cards, by force until they are not prepared to repatriate voluntarily. Our Government and the humanitarian organizations are not prepared to manage facilities for such a mass exodus of returnees.

It seems Pakistan wants to expel more than one million unregistered Afghan refugees by force, by the end of this year.

Recently when Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited Kabul, it was termed a new initiative from Islamabad in strengthening ties with Kabul. But we have seen actions in contrary. The reports of shelling on border provinces, followed by the media reports of Afghan refugees' expulsion will not help the 'new initiative'.

There should be a joint sustainable strategy of repatriation of Afghan refugees, between Islamabad and Kabul, to make sure that the sudden expulsion does not create a humanitarian crisis.