ISLAMABAD – Zubair Kasuri: The Pakistani government has issued a firm directive for all legal and illegal Afghan citizens residing in the country to depart by March 31, 2025. This decision has spurred heightened activity from law enforcement agencies across Pakistan.
Simultaneously, long-term Afghan residents, many holding Afghan or UNHCR cards, have expressed deep concern and distress. They argue that Pakistan has become their home, with many children born and raised within its borders. “This country is like a mother to us,” one Afghan family stated, highlighting the difficulty of leaving.
The situation has prompted suggestions for alternative approaches. Some Afghan residents point to Turkey’s recent policy, which granted Turkish citizenship to Afghans and other nationalities in exchange for substantial fees. This initiative reportedly generated billions of dollars in revenue for the Turkish government and expanded its tax base by over 3 million individuals.
An Afghan resident proposed that Pakistan adopt a similar citizenship-by-investment model. “If the Pakistani government legislates a program like Turkey’s, it could generate billions of dollars and bring hundreds of thousands into the tax net,” they suggested. “This could alleviate the need for IMF loans.”
They highlighted the current inconsistencies in Pakistan’s visa system, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kabul embassy have issued hundreds of thousands of visas within 24 hours in various categories over the past three years. In contrast, the Ministry of Interior is actively pursuing the expulsion of Afghan citizens, even those who have legally applied for visa extensions, reducing their extension periods from six months to one month.
Furthermore, it’s estimated that over 800,000 Afghan residents have not applied for visa extensions. The resident suggested a streamlined legal framework to integrate these individuals into the formal system. They proposed offering citizenship for a fee of 50,000 rupees per family, which could potentially generate over $6 billion in revenue for Pakistan.
The Afghan residents are urging the Pakistani government to consider these alternative revenue streams and legal frameworks, rather than solely focusing on expulsion, which they believe could be detrimental to both the Afghan community and the Pakistani economy.
