The repatriation of illegal Afghan citizens in Pakistan has intensified, with a focus on individuals in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Recently, 1,636 Afghan nationals were deported from Punjab and Sindh. Additionally, over 5,100 Afghan citizens, including 2,301 children and 1,120 women, have been moved to transit camps for repatriation.
An official disclosed that more than 150 Afghan communities were identified in Punjab, housing over 100,000 Afghan residents, while individuals with valid documents are exempt from deportation. The operation, according to Punjab Police’s Additional IG Vikas Nazir, began under federal government directives.
On the same day of deportations, 1,336 Afghans were transported to 46 holding centers, then sent back to Afghanistan from Landi Kotal. Some Afghan citizens expressed frustration over the abrupt deportation orders, highlighting significant financial losses after hastily liquidating their assets and businesses.
In Jhelum, 157 Afghans were sent from transit camps to the Torkham border after receiving food support. Meanwhile, 736 Afghan nationals, including 140 women and 164 children, were detained in Rawalpindi and moved to a nearby refugee camp, with 179 subsequently returned to Afghanistan. In Murree, 13 more Afghans were detained and relocated. In Karachi, over 300 Afghans, including children and women, were deported for illegal residency, with 409 Afghan national cardholders transferred to a holding point, and 307 left for Afghanistan alongside law enforcement officials.
The systematic repatriation reflects ongoing efforts by Pakistani authorities to address illegal immigration.
