Islamabad, March 27 – Pakistan has resumed the deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees through the Torkham border after the border was reopened for one-way pedestrian movement following a month-long closure due to clashes between Kabul and Islamabad, local media reported on Friday.
In recent weeks, tensions have escalated between Afghanistan and Pakistan due to airstrikes, artillery fire, and accusations from both sides.
Officials at a temporary transit point set up near the Hamza Baba mausoleum in Landi Kotal said that 50 Afghans who were being held in different prisons for residing in Pakistan without proper documentation were taken to the transit point and subsequently repatriated to Afghanistan after a clearance process on Thursday, as reported by Dawn, Pakistan's leading daily. The clearance process involved the police and intelligence agencies, including the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and immigration departments.
The authorities released the schedule for the deportation and repatriation at the Torkham border before the process began at 9:30 am (local time) on Thursday. Government departments, including the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Customs, and Nadra, were ordered to activate their computerized systems and brief security officials at the border in advance about their "ready status".
Furthermore, authorities imposed a curfew at Torkham, and movement of people was restricted around the terminal, Bacha Maina, Machni, and nearby areas.
On March 15, over 300 illegal Afghan refugees were detained by police during raids carried out in various parts of the Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A crackdown was launched following the decision of the district administration and police officials to deport illegal Afghans, as reported by Dawn, citing sources. The police had ordered Station House Officers (SHOs) to keep records of all illegal Afghans within their police stations.
According to sources, 341 Afghan refugees were arrested during raids conducted in Topi, Razaar, Chota Lahor tehsils and other parts of Swabi on March 15. They mentioned that the raids would continue, and all illegal Afghan refugees residing in Swabi would be detained and deported to Afghanistan.
Approximately 30,000 Afghan refugees still live in various parts of Swabi, with most of them having proper documentation, while others remain illegally. Sources revealed that these Afghan refugees were residing in the Gandaf and Gohati Refugee Camps, and a significant number were staying in various farms and cities.