Three Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district have been completely vacated after 525 families were repatriated to Afghanistan. The move is part of Pakistan’s ongoing nationwide repatriation campaign targeting Afghan nationals living across camps and urban areas. Authorities say the process follows provincial government directives and includes transportation and logistical support.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Umar Khittab Khan said all families from the Bizan Khel, Ghoriwala, and Mamand Khel refugee camps were returned through the Torkham border crossing. The government arranged transport and other necessary facilities to ensure an orderly repatriation process. Officials described the operation as part of a phased plan covering all registered refugee settlements.
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The district administration has now shifted its focus to Afghan nationals living in rented homes and private residences across Bannu and nearby villages. Authorities have shared their records with local police stations and are working to complete their repatriation in line with government policy. Officials also said voluntary returnees can stay at temporary transit centres before being transported to the border.
The repatriation drive has accelerated in recent weeks after the federal government ordered undocumented Afghan nationals to leave Pakistan. Officials at the Hamza Baba transit point in Landi Kotal reported that more than 10,000 people have crossed into Afghanistan daily since the deadline for departure expired. The Torkham border remains the primary route for the ongoing returns.
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Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed concern over what it described as the forced repatriation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan. The agency has urged that all returns remain voluntary, safe, and dignified. Pakistani authorities maintain that the repatriation campaign is being carried out under the government’s established policy.