About 20,000 Afghans were approved for resettlement in the U.S. under a program that helps people at risk because of their work with the American government, media, aid agencies and rights groups. They were among tens of thousands of Afghans who fled to neighboring Pakistan after their country fell to the Taliban in 2021.

Afghan refugees hold placards during a meeting to discuss their situation after President Donald Trump paused U.S. refugee programs, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Jan. 24, 2025. Pakistan is planning a new round of deportations of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers.

International agencies are expressing concerns over the relocation of Afghan nationals in Pakistan. The UNHCR and IOM are urging clarity on relocation measures and stressing the importance of human rights.

Pakistan government plans to relocate Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi back to Afghanistan, facing logistical challenges.