Pakistan says 1.45 million Afghans can stay for another year following UN refugee chief’s visit

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan says it is extending the stay of 1.45 million Afghan refugees who legally reside in the country, a day after a visit by the U.N. refugee agency. Afghan refugees with proper documentation will be able to remain in Pakistan until June 30, 2025, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office. On Tuesday, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged Pakistani authorities to extend the validity of their registration cards — critical identity documents. The decision came following a widely criticized anti-migrant crackdown that started last year targeting anyone without valid documentation regardless of nationality, according to Pakistani authorities.