Part 2/14:
The long-standing Afghan refugee community in Pakistan, numbering nearly 3 million, faces increasing hostility. Historically fleeing conflict—first the Soviet invasion, then the American-backed Afghan government, and most recently the return of Taliban rule—these refugees once enjoyed a degree of acceptance. However, since April, Islamabad has started deporting Afghan nationals en masse, following a series of expulsions in late 2023 amid rising tensions. The Taliban's economic fragility complicates matters; Pakistan leverages refugee repatriation as political pressure, fearing an influx might overstretch Afghanistan’s limited resources and destabilize the fragile Taliban regime.