The Pakistan government has devised a plan to move registered Afghan refugees out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and gradually repatriate them back to their country. Authorities have also been directed to implement the plan without making any public announcement, Dawn newspaper reported. It reported that the plan was finalised in a series of meetings presided by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week. One of the meetings was also attended by Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir.

Under Phase I of the relocation plan, Afghan nationals having the Afghan Citizens Card (ACC) will be “immediately” moved out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. They will then be sent back to Afghanistan alongside illegal and undocumented refugees. ACC is an identification document issued to registered Afghan nationals by Pakistan.