KP Police launch crackdown against illegal Afghan immigrants

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have formally launched a massive crackdown against illegal Afghan immigrants residing in the province.

In line with the directives of the Ministry of Interior, police and other security agencies have accelerated the arrest and deportation of illegal Afghan immigrants living in the province without possessing valid legal documents.

Operations are underway across several districts of the province, including the provincial capital Peshawar. Authorities in Peshawar demolished the bazaars of illegal immigrants at Faqirabad and other localities. Special teams have been deployed in areas such as Sardar Ahmad Jan colony, Sardar Colony, Afghan Colony, Wazir Colony, Qazi Kallay, Lashkar Kallay, Nasir Bagh, Board bazaar, Chamkani, and various localities on Ring Road.

Afghan families living in Pakistan illegally are being shifted to the Nasir Bagh Transit Centre and after scrutiny of their identity and documentation, they are being repatriated to Afghanistan through the Torkham border.

The authorities have made it clear that strict legal action, including the registration of criminal cases, will also be taken against local landlords who rent houses or commercial properties to undocumented illegal Afghan immigrants.

Qaiser Afridi, a spokesman of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has said that Pakistan was hosting over 40 million Afghan refugees since last 45 years. He said that since 2023; 2.560 million Afghan nationals had already repatriated to their country. He said that currently 125,000 are registered with the UNHCR.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026