Khyber Pakhtunkhwa steps up forced returns of Afghan nationals

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial administration has accelerated the forced return of Afghan nationals, culminating in the clearance of three refugee camps in Bannu district. The operation, overseen by Additional Deputy Commissioner Umar Khitab Khan, saw 525 Afghan families escorted through the Torkham crossing after a phased repatriation order issued by the provincial government.

The camps at Bizan Khel, Ghorawala and Mamund Khel, which had been hosting the families for months, are now empty. Authorities are now concentrating on Afghans residing in private rented homes and host families in the wider Bannu area. Police stations have received detailed registries of these individuals, and a coordinated plan is being implemented to ensure their prompt departure.

Those who wish to leave voluntarily may stay at temporary transit facilities established by the district administration. From these centers, officials will arrange transport to the Torkham border, where Afghan authorities will take custody.

The move follows a June 28 order from the federal interior ministry, which mandates the arrest of any Afghan without a valid visa discovered after July 10. The order was disseminated to chief secretaries of all provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory, reinforcing decisions from a June 1 meeting on the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP). The ministry’s notice calls on provincial governments, special administrative regions, and law‑enforcement agencies to enforce the accelerated return or deportation of Afghans whose visas have expired.

Pakistan began its systematic Afghan repatriation campaign in 2023, intensifying it in April 2024 by cancelling large numbers of residence permits and warning that undocumented stay could lead to detention. The latest clearance of Bannu’s camps marks a further escalation in that effort.