ISLAMABAD: Afghan refugees, who are waiting to be resettled in the United States, have urged the Trump administration to resume the program, saying they live in Pakistan under extreme hardship and in constant fear of being deported.
The statement by the Afghan P1/P2 case holders came days after the US administration abruptly halted the processing of all immigration applications for Afghan citizens indefinitely following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.
“We, the United States’ Afghan allies and partners with completed P1/P2 cases, express our deep concern and urgent request for assistance. Our cases were fully processed and we were awaiting our flight dates when, on January 20, 2025, the program was suspended without explanation,” the statement shared with the media read.
“For more than three years we have lived in Pakistan under extreme hardship and constant fear,” he said, while condemning Washington’s attack.
“This was the act of a single individual, and should never be used to collectively punish thousands of loyal Afghan allies who served the United States honorably and at great personal risk. Individual crime is not a reflection of an entire group, and we respectfully ask that this principle of justice be respected,” the statement added.
As the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan deteriorates due to terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, Islamabad has stepped up the deportation of Afghan refugees, including those who have valid documents. The statement also reflected this concern, saying authorities continued to arrest and deport Afghan citizens, including “documented allies of the United States.”
“Even official letters from the US embassy carry no protection, and many with valid documents remain detained and deported. If we are forced to return to Afghanistan, the Taliban will immediately identify and kill us for our service to the United States,” the statement said, adding that thousands of cases that had already been processed are now in a state of uncertainty.
“We urgently request that the United States fulfill its commitments, protect its allies and resume the evacuation process before more innocent lives are lost,” he added. “We are not criminals. We are the allies who supported the United States. Now, we ask the United States to support us,” said the statement issued on behalf of the P1/P2 case holders in Pakistan.
In a recent statement published on its website, the UN refugee agency also urged Pakistan to ensure that Afghans with specific protection needs are exempted from the provisions of the “Illegal Aliens Repatriation Scheme” and allowed to stay safely in the country.
UNHCR confirmed that more than one million Afghans will return from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2025. “Under the right circumstances, this would be something to celebrate,” said Philippa Candler, UNHCR representative in Pakistan. “But under current conditions, this raises more concerns than solutions.”
Published in Dawn, December 1, 2025
