Pakistan repatriates 525 Afghan families from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa refugee camps
Islamabad, July 14
As many as 525 Afghan families have been repatriated from Pakistan to Afghanistan as three refugee camps in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have now been completely vacated, local media reported on Tuesday.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Umar Khittab Khan said that the phased repatriation of Afghan refugees was being conducted as per the orders issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, leading Pakistani daily Dawn reported.
He stated that under this policy, 525 Afghan families residing in the refugee camps at Bizan Khel, Ghoriwala, and Mamand Khel were repatriated to Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing.
According to the ADC, the authorities were now focusing on Afghan nationals who lived in rented houses, private residences in Bannu and other surrounding areas. He said that the records of Afghan nationals were being shared with their respective police stations and efforts were being made to conduct their early repatriation.
The official said that Afghan families who want to return voluntarily may stay at the temporary transit centres established by the district administration. Authorities will arrange transportation to take Afghan refugees to the Torkham border for their repatriation to Afghanistan.
On June 28, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior ordered the immediate arrest of any Afghan national found living in the country without a valid visa from July 10.
In an order issued to the Chief Secretaries of all provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory, the ministry said that the directive has been issued as per the decisions taken during a review meeting on the Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan (IFRP) on June 1, Dawn reported.
In the notification, the ministry said that during the meeting, "all provincial governments, special area governments and the ICT Administration were directed to expedite the repatriation/deportation of Afghan nationals, including visa overstay cases, and to ensure strict implementation of the IFRP".
"With effect from July 10, 2026, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa shall be arrested immediately," it read.
It further said that necessary directives must be issued to all Deputy Commissioners, district administrations, police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure effective implementation of these orders.
The deportation drive launched by Pakistan in 2023 was renewed in April last year when the government rescinded hundreds of thousands of residence permits for Afghans and warned them of arrests if they did not leave.
— IANS
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