Pakistan launches nationwide crackdown to deport tens of thousands of Afghan migrants

Pakistan’s interior ministry has ordered a countrywide drive to detain and deport undocumented Afghan citizens. Large raids have been carried out in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore and other cities, with officials saying around 20,000 Afghans face phased expulsion and new restrictions are being placed on Afghan‑owned property and vehicles.

In Punjab province, authorities confirmed the repatriation of 138,342 Afghan nationals, bringing the total number of Afghans sent back from Pakistan to more than 2.5 million since the operation began. The government has established dozens of holding centres to process detainees before handing them over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border. The United Nations has warned that continued mass deportations could exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.