Lahore, March 26 Over 33,000 Afghan nationals, including women and children, have been deported from the Punjab province of Pakistan during the ongoing crackdown launched against illegal Afghans last year, police said on Thursday.
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Kareem said in a statement that the deportees included 10,505 individuals with proof of residence, 11,100 Afghan Citizen Card holders, and 11,416 illegal residents.
"More than 33,000 Afghan nationals residing in Punjab illegally have been deported back to Afghanistan so far. Of them, 12,565 are men, 6,695 women, and 13,760 children," Kareem said.
"The process of deporting illegal foreign nationals continues steadily across Punjab," the IGP said, adding that security across the state was on high alert, and the repatriation of all illegal individuals was being ensured.
He said the process was being carried out in accordance with international laws.
Authorities here have intensified the crackdown against Afghan nationals after the recent armed conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The crackdown has led to significant anxiety among the Afghan community, with some residents claiming they have lived in Pakistan for generations.
Local Pashtuns have also reported being subjected to undue harassment and identity checks during police raids.
The UN Human Rights Commission has expressed concerns about the scale and nature of these deportations.
Police have employed facial recognition technology to identify unlawfully residing Afghans, particularly in urban areas. The police have also been investigating landlords and business owners who rent houses, shops, and provide jobs to unregistered Afghans.
The Punjab government has also offered a cash reward to Pakistani citizens who provide information about illegal Afghans.