Aishwaria Sonavane
Pakistan’s migration policy, reflected in the mass expulsion of Afghans, many born and raised in the country, is explained as a political tool and a gesture of Islamabad and Rawalpindi’s growing frustration with the Afghan Taliban. The ongoing deportations, including those of Afghan Citizenship Card (ACC) holders, a state-issued document meant to legitimise their stay, have been widely characterised as a pressure tactic, a means to control immigrant populations and, by extension, the administration in Kabul.
This approach is not new. Pakistan has long leveraged the displacement of Afghans to its advantage by reinforcing colonial-era borders, extracting foreign humanitarian aid, and asserting regional dominance. This piece examines the ongoing mass deportation through the lenses of securitisation theory, neo-colonial control, and the refugee bargaining model, demonstrating how forced displacement has always been a tool in Pakistan’s geopolitical playbook.
This move follows a protracted impasse between Pakistan and the Taliban administration, despite efforts involving military interventions, diplomatic engagements, tribal jirgas, and international appeals. This is not to take away from the fact that Pakistan has witnessed a sharp spike in militancy, with attacks doubling from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024. The country was ranked the second-most affected in the Global Terrorism Index 2025.
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