Authorities have launched a grand operation against illegal Afghan residents throughout Punjab, including Islamabad and Lahore.
During a late-night raid in Islamabad, police arrested 17 illegal Afghan nationals.
The search operation was led by the SP City at the Secretariat Police Station in Bari Imam, where the Afghan migrants resisted arrest but were ultimately taken into custody.
These detainees have been transferred to the police station and are set to be deported to Afghanistan from the Torkham border. In addition to Islamabad, similar operations began across Punjab to identify illegal Afghan residents.
Nomadic Afghan families are being geo-tagged, and data for individuals holding Pakistani identity cards is also being verified. The Lahore authorities have resolved to take strict action against those who have fraudulently registered as Pakistani families.
Police sources disclosed that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is assisting in cross-checking family trees and records, as many Afghans have been living in Pakistan for over four decades with Pakistani identity cards.The police sources said those holding residential permits and Afghan citizen cards are also being sent back to Afghanistan.
Separately, the process of evacuation of Afghan migrants from Faisalabad has been completed, with all Afghan migrants voluntarily relocating to Peshawar. The Faisalabad administration had prepared a list of 413 Afghan migrants, but during the search, an additional 35 were discovered, making a total of 448. To avoid arrest, all left the city voluntarily.
The Foreigners Cell of Faisalabad Police has declared the city clear of Afghan migrants. Abu Zar Sarwar Bhatti, in charge of the Foreigners Cell at Faisalabad Police, stated that no Afghan nationals remain in Faisalabad. Abu Zar Sarwar Bhatti said before leaving, the Afghan migrants submitted affidavits to the administration.
As Pakistan intensifies efforts to repatriate undocumented Afghan nationals, the district witnessed the return of 770 Afghan refugees to their homeland, the official sources said on Monday.
The repatriation came ahead of the third and final deadline set by the federal government for voluntary return, expiring on August 31, they added.
District Administrator for Afghan Refugees, Amanullah Wazir, confirmed the figure, noting that the returnees included seven families.
He emphasized that the process remains voluntary and dignified, in line with national directives.
The Afghan community leaders expressed concern over the challenges facing returnees, citing lack of housing, employment, and access to healthcare in Afghanistan.
Malik Awal Khan, a community elder, stated, “Many of our people are sick and under treatment. We cannot be forced to leave for a country where basic facilities are scarce.”
Deputy Commissioner Kohat, Rahimullah Mehsood, recently chaired a coordination meeting to ensure the repatriation process respected the dignity and rights of all individuals involved. The meeting included district officials, refugee representatives, and humanitarian stakeholders.