Undocumented Immigrants Deportation Operation

[Distant_Observer]

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[ghazi52]

Capital bans utilities for illegal foreigners​

Four adjoining districts extend ban on rentals, jobs for undocumented migrants

Our Correspondent
December 04, 2025

Photo: Islamabad Police- @ICT_Police/X

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital and its four adjoining districts — Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree and Haripur — have imposed a ban on providing electricity and all other basic utilities to all foreigners residing illegally, including Afghan nationals.

They have also been prohibited from obtaining employment or renting houses and shops, while the process of blocking their mobile SIM cards has begun.

The district administration and police have completed a door-to-door survey of more than 25,000 households.

A meeting of the special task force established to take action against illegally residing foreign nationals was held on Wednesday at the CDA Headquarters, chaired by Chief Commissioner Islamabad and CDA Chairman, Muhammad Ali Randhawa.

Participants included Islamabad Police IG Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, and administrative and police officials from Rawalpindi, Attock, Haripur and Murree via Zoom, along with representatives from the Ministry of Interior, NADRA, PTA and other relevant departments. The meeting reviewed progress made so far and discussed the strategy ahead.

Officials briefed the Chief Commissioner that the repatriation of illegal foreign residents from various districts is underway at an accelerated pace, with a majority returning voluntarily. Legal action is also being taken against landlords who have rented property to undocumented foreigners.

 

[ghazi52]

Returning Afghans — leaving behind the complexities of a different culture​

Malaika Arbab
December 6, 2025



Afghan refugees gather at a makeshift camp upon their arrival from Pakistan, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan Torkham border in Nangarhar province on November 2. — AFP

PESHAWAR: Uzma was just a toddler when her family fled the escalating conflict, seeking refuge in Pakistan in 1998. Raised in a new land, she navigated through the complexities of a different culture. Over the years, her identity has been shaped by both her Afghan heritage and her Pakistani upbringing.

“Our life was very good in Afghanistan,” she recalls, a wistful tone in her voice. “I was two to three years old when we came from Afghanistan.”

“The main reason for coming to Pakistan was because of the fights there,” she said.

“When the rocket landed in our street, my brother told my parents that either we would die here or we would have to leave our country,” she said.

“Leaving our country and relatives was a very hard decision.” The trauma of war, the fear of violence, and the uncertainty of the future drove her family to seek safety in Pakistan.

Her educational journey reflects this dual identity. She completed her education in Pakistan.

Despite the challenges, she excelled academically, earning accolades and recognition. “I got 4th position in BSc in Peshawar, then I did MSc in which I got a gold medal and also topped in MPhil.” This success, however, was often overshadowed by the practical difficulties of being an Afghan national in Pakistan.

“The biggest obstacle was in education, like university; there was one quota seat for Afghan students.” The struggle for opportunities extended to the professional world. “There were no job facilities in government sectors, but in private sectors too, they would see whether if a person is Pakistani or Afghan.”

The constant worry about visa renewals and the recent blocking of bank accounts, including the one at her workplace where she hasn’t been paid for two months, adds to the stress.

“We have a lot of fears of deportation. We are only three females: me, my sister and mother. Someone said a few days ago that Afghans living near the airport have to leave the country, and we are not getting visas.”

Uzma and thousands other Afghan women are facing deportation as Pakistani authorities have since Sept 1 launched crackdown to expel more than 1.3 million Afghan nationals with Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders, the last category of refugees legally living in the country without visas.

 

[ghazi52]

According to UNHCR spokesperson, Qaiser Khan Afridi, there are several categories of Afghan refugees. The first category includes those with PoR cards. These cards were issued by the government in 2006-2007 following a Nadra registration drive, which registered two million people.

As June 2025, approximately one million PoR cardholders remained. These individuals are considered refugees, meaning they are under international protection.

The second category of refugees is defined by 2017 cabinet decision that outlined comprehensive Afghan management strategy with several components. One component focused on border management to prevent undocumented entry.

Another addressed the lack of specific refugee law in Pakistan at the time, with plans to enact such legislation. A third component involved registering undocumented individuals, which led to issuance of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs).

The third category of refugees arrived in Pakistan after Taliban took over Afghanistan including approximately 600,000 people, including journalists, singers and others.

Action was taken against undocumented individuals in September 2023 against ACC holders in April 2025, and against PoR cardholders in September 2025.

From Sept 15, 2023, to Dec 2023, approximately 490,000 people left Pakistan.

In 2024, an additional 315,000 people departed. In 2025, 1,025,000 people left, including undocumented individuals, ACC holders and PoR cardholders.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) figures issued on November 28 show that since April 1, 2025, a total of 950,028 Afghan nationals returned, of which 134,118 (14pc) were deported.

 

[ghazi52]

According to the available data, approximately 92,000 Afghan refugee students are enrolled in government schools in Pakistan. Additionally, 10,000 students receive non-formal education at home, and 56,000 attend refugee schools. Over 1,000 students are enrolled in universities.

UNHCR provides various programmes, including skills training. They also undertake initiatives like providing textbooks, bags and other facilities.

But while many of the returning Afghan refugees, having been born and raised in Pakistan, face an uncertain future in their country of origin, it is female students, like Uzma, who have to worry about their studies and careers in a country where the puritanical rulers have imposed a complete ban on girls education and employment opportunities for them.

 

[ghazi52]

Hundreds stuck at Chaman as border remains closed after firing​

Report on border security to be sent to Chairman of Border Management Committee

Syed Ali Shah
December 06, 2025

Pakistan–Afghanistan border at Chaman remained closed on Saturday following a night of cross-border firing, leaving hundreds of travellers, traders and families stranded on both sides amid heightened security deployments

The Frontier Corps and other security units in Pakistan reinforced key crossing points after the exchange of fire with Afghan forces late Friday night. Afghan authorities also strengthened positions across the border in Spin Boldak, raising concerns among residents about a possible prolonged standoff.

Dozens of Afghan nationals waiting to return home were stuck at the Friendship Gate for hours, with some stranded for days due to the sudden closure. Many expressed concern over dropping temperatures and limited facilities.

“We were preparing to cross early in the morning, but the gate never opened. Families with children are suffering the most,” said a traveller at the terminal.

A detailed report on the security situation will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Border Management and Master Plan Committee, local sources said.

At least three civilians, including a woman, were injured during Friday night’s clashes that lasted several hours. Medical teams in Chaman have been treating the wounded and monitoring the situation closely.

On the night after the explosions in Kabul, Afghan Taliban forces, allegedly supported by elements of the TTP, launched attacks along multiple border sectors, including Chaman, Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral and Baramcha.

Earlier this year, clashes were reported along the border during a brief period of tension with Afghanistan. On October 8, tensions escalated after explosions in Kabul, reportedly linked to Pakistani airstrikes targeting TTP leaders.

At least 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clashes, with Pakistan claiming over 200 Afghan fighters also died. The firing damaged the Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate, a key civilian crossing point. In response, Pakistan closed its border crossings, and on October 16 both sides agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire.

 

[Babaasif]

There are afghans who lived in pakistan for more than 3 or 4 decades and established roots in pakistan.There are afghans who were born in pakistan and lived all thier life in pakistan and have not even been to afghanistan before.What are they going to do there.Is it just to deport all of them.

 

[Distant_Observer]

There are afghans who lived in pakistan for more than 3 or 4 decades and established roots in pakistan.There are afghans who were born in pakistan and lived all thier life in pakistan and have not even been to afghanistan before.What are they going to do there.Is it just to deport all of them.

All refugees are going home.

They should apply for a visa and if they fit the criteria then they can return.

 

[Babaasif]

All refugees are going home.

They should apply for a visa and if they fit the criteria then they can return.

I agree with visa system but our rulers are now even deporting afghan refugees who have POR cards.When afghan taliban came back to power in 2021 some more afghan refugees came to pakistan since they feared taliban will kill them because they were working for the previous regime.shall we send them back to suffer.

 

[ghazi52]

Pressure mounts on German govt over Afghans stranded in Pakistan​

Agencies | Amin Ahmed
Published December 10, 2025

BERLIN: More than 250 human rights groups and other NGOs renewed pressure on the German government on Tuesday to take in hundreds of Afghans stranded in Pakistan who had been offered sanctuary by Berlin.

The organisations, including Amnesty International, Save the Children, Human Rights Watch and church groups, urged the government to bring the roughly 1,800 Afghans to Germany from Pakistan before the end of the year.

Those affected must be evacuated in the coming weeks to protect them from deportation back to Afghanistan, the groups said.

The Afghans were accepted under a refugee scheme set up by the previous German government, but have been stuck in Pakistan since conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May and froze the programme.


Around 350 people on the scheme have been able to come to Germany after winning legal challenges against the government in German courts.

UNHCR survey shows only 1.2m of 2m Afghans in Pakistan are registered

According to the open letter sent to the German government by the NGOs on Tuesday, most of those left in Afghanistan are women and children.

“Especially now, during the Christmas season, we remember humanity and compassion. Therefore, we appeal to you: finally bring those to whom we have promised protection to safety,” the letter said.

Those affected include those who served with German armed forces in Afghanistan, as well as journalists and human rights activists.

Germany says it has received assurances from the Pakistan government that the Afghans on the scheme would not be deported before the year end, but this deadline cannot be extended.

UNHCR data

According to the UN refugee agency data released on Tuesday, a population count of Afghans living in Pakistan revealed that they number over 2.18 million, out of whom 1.22m are registered, with only 35pc of registered Afghans living in refugee villages.

It shows over 1.09m registered Afghan refugees holding PoR cards. According to the UN body, this figure does not include 138,701 unregistered members of registered families.

The number of asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR is 115,652, out of which Afghans number 115,390. Others are from Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Myanmar and Syria.

“The statistics of registered asylum seekers have been revised as a result of verification exercise,” the UN refugee agency says.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Grand operation in KP against afghan refugees about to begin

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Afghans repatriation process picks up pace in Lower Dir​

Our Correspondent

Afghan refugees gather at a makeshift camp upon their arrival from Pakistan, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan Torkham border. — AFP/File
LOWER DIR: With the voluntary repatriation of Afghan families gaining pace, the Lower Dir administration on Friday initiated a formal process to take over public assets, land records and infrastructure located inside Afghan refugee camps across the district.

Chairing a high-level meeting, the deputy commissioner, Mohammad Arif Khan, said the district had entered a “critical transition stage” as more refugee families were choosing to leave, necessitating an organised handover of facilities to the relevant departments.

The district administrator for Afghan refugees, Humayun Khan, briefed the forum that 212 families comprising 1,170 individuals had returned to Afghanistan in recent days, adding that the number was expected to increase.

Officials were directed to immediately assume control of health centres, schools, water supply schemes, streetlights, electricity transformers and other public assets and to submit certified reports of the takeover.

Assets takeover process inside refugee camps initiated

The deputy commissioner also tasked assistant commissioners of Timergara, Samarbagh and Adenzai to verify land demarcations of all refugee camps so that government and private ownership could be clearly established in official records.

He further ordered submission of daily repatriation reports and said sworn statements would be obtained from truck drivers transporting families to Landi Kotal, ensuring safe passage up to district Khyber.

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE

The deputy commissioner Lower Dir, Mohammad Arif, Khan on Friday chaired an important meeting to review preparations for the anti-polio campaign scheduled to begin on December 15 across the district.

The meeting was attended by additional deputy commissioner (general), assistant commissioners, district health officer, staff officer Dr Ehsan, EPI coordinator Dr Wali Khan, WHO representative Dr Asfandyar and other stakeholders.

Officials reviewed the security plan, staff training, micro-plan updates, field coverage of teams and logistic arrangements. The health department informed the forum that all preparations for the drive had been completed. The four-day vaccination drive will run from December 15 to 18.

The deputy commissioner also appealed to parents and community elders to ensure that polio drops were administered to their children.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2025

 

[ghazi52]

Afghan refugee’s deportation halted as IHC seeks Safron decision within month​

Court said petitioner must cancel PoR card before applying for citizenship, as cancellation is mandatory

Our Correspondent
December 17, 2025

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has temporarily restrained the authorities from deporting an Afghan national, Bakhti Jan, to Afghanistan.

The court directed the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) to decide, within one month, on the petitioner’s request regarding his Proof of Registration (PoR) card, and ordered that he should not be deported until a decision is made.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition seeking Pakistani citizenship for the Afghan refugee and protection from deportation. Counsel for the petitioner submitted that applications had been filed with the Ministry of Safron and Nadra, but no decision had yet been taken.

Justice Kayani observed that although the petitioner is an Afghan refugee, he has now come to know that his parents are Pakistani.

The court remarked that the petitioner would first have to get his PoR card cancelled and then apply for citizenship, as cancellation of the PoR card is mandatory for seeking Pakistani nationality.

Accordingly, the court directed the Ministry of Safron to decide the petitioner’s request for cancellation of the PoR card within one month and adjourned the hearing until next month.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Khyber administration asks Afghans to go home​

Ibrahim Shinwari

Afghan citizens wait to register as they attempt to return to their country, with trucks loaded with their belongings seen in the background at the Chaman border crossing in Balochistan on October 18. — Reuters/File
KHYBER: The district administration has launched a campaign here to “persuade” Afghan families to vacate their homes and return to their country at the earliest.

The campaign began after the police in Bara apprehended some 30 illegal Afghan refugees during a crackdown on Monday.

The detainees were later released at the request of local elders and traders.

On Tuesday, additional assistant commissioner Shahabuddin visited various areas in Landi Kotal, met a number of Afghan families and conveyed to them in a softer tone that they should leave before a crackdown on them was launched.

30 illegal aliens held in Bara before release at request of elders

Officials said that the AAC met Afghan families in Gagra and Sadukhel areas where there was comparatively big concentration of illegal Afghan nationals.

They said that Afghan nationals were informed about strong official resolve about the deportation of all illegal aliens and urged them to opt for a respectful and dignified repatriation as the official deadline had already ended on June 30.

Officials said that they had all required data of all Afghan nationals living in different parts of Khyber tribal district as a comprehensive mapping of their current location was completed a few months ago.

They, however, insisted that the administration had some credible information about relocation of a number of Afghan families in Khyber tribal district after they were expelled from other cities recently.

The officials said that Afghan nationals had no reason whatsoever to continue staying in Pakistan and that they had to leave as soon as possible.

Sources in Bara told Dawn that a delegation of local elders and traders met the district administration and police officials on Monday and sought time for the Afghan nationals residing in Bara to wrap up their businesses.

They said that at least three months’ time was sought for Afghan traders and ordinary citizens to leave Pakistan in phases but officials refused to extend the deadline and insisted on an immediate repatriation.

The sources said that a committee of Afghan and local traders was formed to devise a mechanism for early disposal of all businesses by Afghan traders and their transfer to local businessmen.

Meanwhile, new Khyber DPO Waqar Ahmad held a meeting with elders of Bara on Tuesday to discuss the current law and order situation, eradication of narcotics business, confiscation of unregistered motorcycles and an effective ban on firing in the air and other anti-social activities in Bara.

The elders pledged full support to him for the elimination of drugs and other illegal activities.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2025

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Afghans told to leave KP’s Bannu after police vehicle attack​

A Correspondent

Police in black uniforms stand guard in this file photo. — Reuters/File
BANNU: A police vehicle came under attack by terrorists near an Afghan refugee camp here on Saturday, resulting in partial damage to the vehicle. However, no casualties were reported.

Following the incident, police and district administration authorities issued orders for immediate evacuation of the Afghan refugee camp due to security concerns.

According to police, DSP Mufeez Khan was traveling from Township to Domel when suspected terrorists ambushed the police vehicle near the Afghan refugees camp located on Kohat Road. The attack was carried out in a planned manner, however, due to the timely retaliatory action by the police, the attackers managed to flee the scene.

As a result of the firing, the police vehicle sustained partial damage. Upon receiving information about the incident, a heavy police contingent rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. The search for suspicious individuals is continuing.

After the incident, police and administrative officers reached the Afghan refugees camp and initiated the process to immediately vacate it.

On this occasion, DPO Yasir Afridi said that Afghan refugees had already been given a formal deadline to return to their country, Afghanistan, during which a large number of families had already left.

According to the DPO, multiple attacks on police have originated from this camp in the past and militant elements have been using the camp as a shield. Therefore, keeping in view serious security concerns, the decision was taken to evacuate the camp immediately.

The district administration officials said that a total of 2,567 individuals were residing in the camp, out of which 1,700 had already returned to Afghanistan. On Saturday, an additional 120 individuals comprising 20 families were sent back. As part of security measures, the structures of the refugee camp were demolished while using heavy machinery.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2025