April 8, 2025
3 mins read

Mass Expulsions Close Afghan Shops in Pakistan

As Pakistan intensifies its mass deportation drive against Afghan refugees, the once-bustling Afghan-owned businesses in Rawalpindi are falling silent.

With the March 31 deadline for repatriation passed, a growing number of Afghan-run shops, hotels, and small enterprises in the city and cantonment areas are shutting down, sold off, or simply abandoned.

Local media reports suggest a visible impact across Rawalpindi’s commercial landscape. Shops once run by Afghan nationals are now closed, their goods being sold off at steep discounts, and signage taken down or replaced. Vehicles, machinery, and equipment used by Afghan workers are also being offloaded in bulk sales.

Pakistan’s policy of mass Afghan deportation has displaced thousands—many of whom were born in Pakistan and have never lived in Afghanistan. Entire families are being uprooted, and livelihoods built over decades are crumbling overnight.

“I had a small hotel near the fruit market,” said Gul Mohammad, one of the deportees, speaking to TOLO News. “The police raided me while I was working, kept me in a detention camp for four nights, and then deported me through Torkham.” His story echoes across the Afghan community in Pakistan, particularly in cities like Rawalpindi and Peshawar, where thousands have lived for years.

Another Afghan migrant, Shujauddin, shared his plight last month. Living in Rawalpindi with his wife and four children, he had invested 1.8 million Pakistani rupees in a retail shop. Despite holding a valid visa, he feared deportation. “I’ve listed all my goods for auction. If I don’t leave, they’ll arrest me and send me back,” he said.

According to official reports cited by Dawn, 4,966 Afghan refugees were deported on Sunday night alone. Officials say the process continued late into Monday, with figures expected to rise once updated.

The crackdown hasn’t just targeted business owners. Police in Rawalpindi detained 736 Afghan nationals on Sunday, including 140 women and 164 children. Of them, 179 were deported immediately, while the rest were taken to a refugee camp near Golra Mor.

The ongoing crackdown has drawn condemnation from international humanitarian organisations. Critics argue that Pakistan’s actions are placing vulnerable families at risk in an uncertain Afghanistan, where political instability and economic hardship persist. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has voiced serious concern, urging Islamabad to reconsider the blanket deportation policy.

However, the Pakistani government has stood firm, dismissing the international criticism. Authorities say the repatriation campaign is being conducted in line with national security interests, particularly amid allegations of undocumented Afghans’ involvement in criminal and militant activities.

While the government continues to assert its right to control borders and immigration, the human cost is becoming increasingly apparent. Afghan communities that were once part of the urban fabric in Pakistan’s cities are now disappearing almost overnight.

The closure of Rawalpindi’s Afghan businesses has left not only economic gaps but also a sense of erasure. Long-time customers, landlords, and local business partners are witnessing the sudden vanishing of neighbours and friends with whom they have shared decades of trade and community life.

With the situation still unfolding, the long-term impact of the refugee repatriation in Pakistan remains to be seen. But for many Afghan families, the future is already set: a forced return to a homeland they may barely know, and the loss of everything they built in a country they once called home.

Previous Story

South Korea Sets June 3 Presidential Election

Next Story

Trump Threatens China with Additional 50% Tariff Hike

Latest from -Top News

Bangladesh dengue death toll hits 245 in 2025

Presently, 977 patients are undergoing treatment in Dhaka, while 2,793 are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Bangladesh…reports Asian Lite News One person died due to dengue in Bangladesh in the 24

Torkham remains closed for seventh day

Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following more than a week of intense fighting …reports Asian Lite News Amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Torkham border crossing

India expands naval reach amid Indo-Pacific tensions

India’s renewed naval diplomacy coincides with heightened activity by external powers in its strategic maritime neighbourhood….reports Asian Lite News Amid growing tensions in the Indian Ocean and evolving power dynamics across the

Beijing Targets Hong Kong Democracy

Latest annual UN report highlighted the growing and sophisticated trend of cross-border repression targeting human rights activists…reports Asian Lite News The United Nations, in its latest report on reprisals, revealed that two
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Pakistan extends residency for Afghan refugees

Refugee rights activists urged the Islamic Emirate to address the

Taliban Demand Dignified Treatment of Afghan Refugees

PM Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund appealed Pakistan to not “expel