The Peshawar High Court has issued a written order barring law enforcement agencies from harassing Afghan refugees holding valid Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, emphasizing that they are legally permitted to stay in Pakistan until June 30, 2025.
The three-page verdict, authored by Justice Waqar Ahmad, makes it clear that any form of harassment or coercive action against PoR cardholders would be illegal. The court stated that PoR holders enjoy legal status and protection under the current policy, and law enforcement agencies must respect their right to stay.
During the proceedings, representatives from the Deputy Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Frontier Regions Division in Islamabad informed the court that the federal government has not made any decision to deport registered Afghan refugees holding PoR cards.
The petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Sarwar Shah, argued that despite the federal government allowing PoR cardholders to stay in Pakistan until mid-2025, law enforcement personnel were harassing them amid an ongoing crackdown on undocumented Afghan migrants.
In its written order, the court directed the Additional Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Deputy Attorney General of Pakistan to ensure that all law enforcement agencies are informed of the ruling so that PoR cardholders are not subjected to unnecessary distress or unlawful actions.
