The Singer Without a Stage: An Afghan Artist Leaves the Country That Raised Him

• Afghan singer Najeebullah Khitab, born and raised in Pakistan, is facing forced repatriation to Afghanistan due to the Pakistani government's large-scale deportation drive.
• Khitab faces the dual loss of his home and his livelihood, as the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has banned music and public performance.
• Despite living in Pakistan for 46 years, Khitab and other second-generation Afghan refugees remain ineligible for Pakistani citizenship, and legal appeals to stop the deportations have failed.

Deportation Policy and Implementation

• The Pakistani government began the expulsion of Afghan refugees in November 2023, currently executing the third phase of a plan that targets registered Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders.
• Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif justifies the policy citing security and economic stability, claiming that the refugee population is linked to terrorism and strain on national resources.
• Humanitarian support from the UNHCR has significantly diminished, leaving refugees without financial aid and forcing many into voluntary—though desperate—returns.

Citizenship and Legal Challenges

• Although born on Pakistani soil, Afghan refugees cannot claim citizenship because Pakistan did not sign international clauses mandating citizenship for children of refugees born within its borders.
• Despite attempts to seek relief through the Balochistan, Peshawar, and Islamabad High Courts, all judicial appeals against deportation have been rejected.
• Political support from parties like the PkMAP, ANP, and JUI failed to yield tangible policy changes or protections for the refugee community.

The Loss of Identity and Art

• For Khitab, returning to Afghanistan represents a "start from zero," compounded by the psychological toll of living in a country where his passion for music is effectively criminalized.
• Border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have caused intermittent closures, leaving thousands of families, including Khitab's, stranded outside UNHCR processing centers in Quetta.
• The situation highlights the precarious status of millions of Afghans in Pakistan who are caught between borders, policy shifts, and the search for safety.