Living in Pakistani Limbo: Ethnic Kazakhs from Afghanistan Seek Resettlement

Ethnic Kazakhs living in Pakistan are seeking help to return to their ancestral homeland. One such person, Hameed Ullah Jorabai, shared his story with Orda.kz.

Hameed lives in Pakistan’s Karachi province with his 76-year-old mother, wife, and five children. His family traces its roots back to Afghanistan more than 200 years ago. In 1983, several Kazakh families, including theirs, moved to Pakistan.

Hameed belongs to the Kerey clan. Around 20 other Kerey families, as well as members of the Kangly clan, are also living there. Pakistan has granted them refugee status, but daily life is growing increasingly dangerous.

The authorities are now trying to send them back to Afghanistan. Without proper documentation, these Kazakhs have no access to work, education, or healthcare. Many live in neglected areas without electricity, gas, or jobs – essentially in ghettos.

They are all hoping Kazakhstan will step in.

Recently, four of our people were detained by Pakistani police and deported to Afghanistan. In Pakistan, they also don’t give us passports — when we moved, they wrote “Afghans” in our documents. Errors like this have tied our hands.  They also wrote in the papers that I was born in 1983, but in fact, I was born in 1993. In the columns with information about the year and month of birth, it is always written ‘01.01.1983’ — this is what they do with all refugees,says Hameed.  

A group of Kazakhs has been trying to return to Kazakhstan since 2008. But previously, the embassy in Islamabad brushed them off.

There was another ambassador before — he did not help us at all. With the arrival of Yerzhan Kistafin, everything moved forward. He made every effort to help us, even visiting us to get acquainted with our situation on the spot. 

Yerzhan Kistafin has served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan since May 18, 2021. According to Hameed, the embassy is working to clarify each case individually, but the process is still moving slowly.

Four of us submitted applications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Astana four years ago. The application was accepted, and later the embassy contacted us and asked us to come. Six of us went. They asked which region we were from — Qaraganda, Qyzylorda… But we didn’t have any documents proving we were Kazakhs. They said, ‘How can you prove that you’re Kazakhs and not Uzbeks or Kyrgyz?’ DNA testing confirmed my mother is Kazakh and that 10 others are related to her. Kazakhstan should take the next step, but there has been no response from Astana,Hameed Ullah says. 

Contents of the document sent to the embassy:

Once this documentation was sent to the embassy, all communication from Astana stopped. These delays are preventing the next step, repatriation.

Hameed Ullah is concerned for his and his children’s future. He says he’s willing to live in any Kazakh city, just to leave Pakistan.

What's Happening in Pakistan

On April 22, 2025, 26 people were killed in clashes near the Indian border. According to The Times of India, the attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba,* an extremist group based in Pakistan and banned in Kazakhstan. In response, Pakistan is trying to expel all refugees, mainly to send them to the Taliban, who will deal with them at their own discretion. 

Hameed says he recently spoke with four families who had been deported, and the situation is troubling.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and are known for serious human rights violations. Girls’ schools and beauty salons have been shut down across the country.

Sanat Iliyasuly, head of the YouTube channel Jalgyz Jolaushy, visited Karachi province to see firsthand how Kazakhs there are living. His footage illustrates the conditions they face every day.

We reached out to the Kazakh embassy. They said the Department of Employment and Social Programs is responsible for confirming ethnic Kazakh identity, issuing permits, and organizing resettlement.

We also contacted the department, but have not received a response. The official who promised to clarify the situation has since stopped answering.

Right before Eid al-Adha, I traveled 24 hours to reach the Kazakh embassy in Islamabad. I waited 12 hours there, but no one received me. They told me, ‘The government does not accept your documents. There’s no proof you’re Kazakh.’ When I ask for a visa — whether to Kazakhstan from Pakistan or Afghanistan — I’m ready to cover all the costs. In Kazakhstan, we’ll work, support ourselves, and won’t ask anyone for help,says Hameed Ullah. 

He remains in contact with Kazakhs still in Afghanistan. He says eight families recently left the country. They also lack documentation. 

Hameed says that if a visa is not granted, their only option will be to seek help from the United Nations.

Original Author: Alfia Adambek

* Lashkar‑e‑Taiba was designated as a terrorist group by Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court on March 15, 2005, alongside other foreign extremist groups