PESHAWAR: The Taliban-led interim government of Afghanistan has called on the United Nations and other international organisations to play an active role in ensuring the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
The appeal came following a high-level meeting at the Afghan Presidential Palace (Arg) in Kabul, chaired by Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund. The meeting reviewed the ongoing deportation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan and expressed concern over the challenges faced by returnees.
In an official statement, the Afghan government urged Pakistani authorities to honour their Islamic and neighbourly obligations, noting the decades-long relationship between citizens of both countries. The forum highlighted that religious, historical, and cultural bonds must be preserved, warning that hostile or “wrong” steps could harm bilateral ties.
The statement added that the Afghan High Commission for Refugees had been directed to mobilise all available resources to facilitate the returnees. Authorities were tasked with providing temporary accommodation, essential services, and facilities to ensure the welfare of repatriated individuals.
The repatriation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented immigrants from Pakistan continues under the ongoing government campaign. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department, 3,042 undocumented immigrants and 2,355 ACC holders crossed into Afghanistan via the Torkham border on April 7 alone.
Since April 1, KP has repatriated 5,568 ACC holders. The cumulative number of undocumented Afghan nationals returned from KP since September 2023 stands at 488,187.
In other regions, 4,227 individuals have returned from Punjab, 160 from Islamabad, and one ACC holder from Gilgit-Baltistan since the beginning of the month. In total, 12,982 individuals have been repatriated from KP and 1,573 from Islamabad. Punjab has sent back 5,435 Afghans, while 44 have returned from Sindh and 38 from Azad Kashmir.
The KP Home Department further noted that 55 Afghan refugees from Sialkot were scheduled to be transported to Afghanistan via the Torkham border on Monday.
Meanwhile, immigration sources in the Khyber district reported that 3,669 foreigners had been deported through the Torkham border up until Sunday. An additional 2,242 individuals voluntarily arrived at the Landi Kotal transit camp, while 1,427 undocumented Afghans arrested in various cities were also moved to the border.
In Karachi, police carried out an operation targeting illegal Afghan residents along Abul Hassan Isphani Road. Four individuals were detained and transferred to the Sachal police station. The operation reportedly continued late into the night.
