Islamabad, March 24: According to reliable sources, the crackdown on undocumented Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, is expected to intensify after the Eid holidays, local media reported on Tuesday.
Authorities had temporarily suspended arrests during the Eid period to allow families to observe the festival peacefully. With the Eid celebrations concluded, law enforcement personnel are preparing to resume strict actions, targeting Afghan refugees who do not have valid documents, as reported by The Express Tribune, Pakistan's leading daily.
The process of closing the nine Afghan refugee camps, which had been temporarily halted during the Eid holidays, will resume shortly after the break. Meanwhile, a voluntary repatriation drive for Afghan nationals is set to begin on Wednesday, encouraging those who wish to return to Afghanistan.
Measures based on policy are being implemented to determine the future status of Afghan refugees who possess citizen cards. A fresh survey has been suggested in Peshawar to update refugee data, as reported by The Express Tribune. Special focus will be placed on refugees who own businesses, those who have obtained Pakistani documents illegally, Afghan women married to Pakistani men, and other mixed-status cases.
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, local media reported.
A crackdown was launched after the district administration and police officials decided to deport illegal Afghans, as reported by daily Dawn, citing sources. The police had ordered Station House Officers (SHOs) to keep records of all illegal Afghans in their police stations.
According to sources, 341 Afghan refugees were arrested during raids conducted in Topi, Razaar, and Chota Lahor tehsils and other parts of Swabi on March 15. They mentioned that the raids will continue, and all Afghan refugees illegally residing in Swabi will 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 reside illegally. Sources revealed that these Afghan refugees were residing in Gandaf and Gohati refugee camps, and a large number were staying in various farms and cities, as reported by Dawn.