Afghan Refugee Crisis in Pakistan: Voices of Protest Emerge from Argentina Park

Over time, the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has reached a critical point. The crisis is no longer reflected only in statistics or images; it is closely linked to the inefficiency of Pakistan’s internal systems, the inaction of international organizations, and the lack of attention from the global community.
Since July 28, 2025, hundreds of families displaced by legal and economic pressures have set up tents in Argentina Park in Islamabad. These tents are not only temporary shelters from rain and heat; they also stand as a symbol of years of waiting, uncertainty, and global neglect.
Refugees say that the suspension of visa renewals, delays in case processing by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the looming threat of forced deportation to Afghanistan have brought their lives to the edge of collapse. Many emphasize that their cases have remained unresolved with UNHCR for four years, and they could be sent back at any moment to a country where they face the risk of detention or even death.
Among the protesters are women with tragic stories. Batool, a 26-year-old woman from the Hazara community who sought refuge here just three weeks after giving birth, says she has had neither enough drinking water nor medicine, and not even a safe place to care for her sick newborn. Speaking with concern for her child’s future, she asks: “When there is no access to treatment or even shelter, how can I protect my baby’s life?”
Karima Babar, a 23-year-old pregnant woman living in the camp, says she faces each day with deep concern for the future: “If my child is born under these conditions, what fate will await them? There is no access to medical care, and the police have even warned us that we must leave this place.”
Meanwhile, Zahra, another woman living in the park with her family, described the difficulties of life in the camp: “We don’t have access to toilets here; we have to go to the mosque and wait for hours in long lines.” Fatima, another protesting woman, confirmed Zahra’s account and added, “The lack of electricity is one of our biggest problems. We have to ask shopkeepers to charge our mobile phones for a few minutes. Life here is truly unbearable, and we feel as if we face death every moment.”
Analysts note that the current crisis cannot be attributed solely to Pakistan’s economic or security challenges. For years, Afghan refugees in Islamabad were treated as a strategic instrument in the country’s interactions with the Taliban and the West. However, following shifts in political dynamics and a relative rapprochement with the Taliban, the government no longer perceives this leverage as necessary. As a result, the financial and administrative burden of hosting these refugees has increasingly been used as a justification for their forced removal.
Meanwhile, global attention on Afghanistan has waned, and the media are focused on newer conflicts, such as in Ukraine and the Middle East. As a result, the situation of thousands of refugees has been largely overlooked. Experts warn that if these conditions continue, they could not only harm Pakistan’s reputation internationally but also lead to a new wave of irregular migration to Europe and other countries.