PESHAWAR: In a significant move under the federal government’s ongoing Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan, Pakistani authorities repatriated 4,758 undocumented Afghan nationals through the Torkham border crossing on April 18.
According to official sources, the group consisted of individuals who had been residing without legal documentation in various cities across Pakistan and several districts within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to official sources, Pakistani authorities successfully repatriated a total of 4,758 undocumented Afghan nationals through the Torkham border on April 18. The individuals, who had been residing illegally in various cities across Pakistan and districts within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were processed through a network of designated holding facilities before their final departure.
These centers which included the holding camp near the Hamza Baba shrine in Landi Kotal, Nasir Bagh in Peshawar, Juma Khan Camp, Azakhel, Swabi, and facilities in Haripur served as the primary sites for mandatory registration and documentation procedures.
The repatriation process was described by officials as orderly and systematic. Before their final departure to the border, the individuals were processed at several designated holding facilities to ensure proper documentation.
Officials confirmed that the group included several individuals who were formally deported for violating immigration regulations. All returnees underwent mandatory registration and biometric verification at the camps prior to being transported to the border.
This latest wave of repatriations follows the resumption of Phase 2 of the repatriation plan, which specifically targets undocumented individuals and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. Recent data from international agencies like the UNHCR and IOM indicate a sharp increase in return movements following the conclusion of the Eid holidays and the reopening of key border crossings.
Government sources added that repatriations are expected to continue in the coming weeks as authorities tighten the enforcement of legal residency frameworks across the country.
Read also: PHC grants relief to Afghan widow and her children in Pakistani citizenship case
The Peshawar High Court has issued a written order of the previous hearing on the application filed by an Afghan widow regarding the acquisition of Pakistani citizenship along with her children.
According to the court order, NADRA has been directed to complete the proceedings on the petitioner’s case within three months as per the law. The court further ruled that during this period, the petitioner and her children should not be deported.
