KP to launch drive against illegal immigrants

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is preparing to launch a province-wide operation against undocumented Afghan immigrants from July 10, with official preparations said to have been completed.

According to officials, the repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals is continuing alongside the planned enforcement drive. Official sources said that more than 14,000 Afghan families returned to Afghanistan between July 1 and July 6. During the same period, a number of houses, shops and business premises were vacated in different parts of Peshawar.

The operation is set to begin in various parts of Peshawar and the cantonment area. Authorities said it will target undocumented immigrants as well as businesses operating in violation of the law. The campaign is expected to cover major commercial centres in the city, including Namak Mandi, Qissa Khwani Bazaar, the Food and Flour Market, Ashraf Road, Khyber Bazaar, University Road, and the Fruit and Vegetable Market, in addition to other trading hubs.

Officials said police and other law enforcement agencies will carry out the operation jointly. They added that authorities have completed the identification of undocumented Afghan traders and other individuals allegedly involved in illegal business activity, clearing the way for legal action during the crackdown.

According to the officials, the action is directed at people residing in the country unlawfully and those violating the law, while the government’s repatriation policy will continue at the same time.

Categories of Afghan refugees

Afghan refugees in Pakistan fall into several categories. The first includes those holding Proof of Registration, or PoR, cards. These documents were issued in 2006 and 2007 after a Nadra registration exercise that recorded two million people. As of June 2025, around one million PoR cardholders remained in the country. These individuals are regarded as refugees and are under international protection.

The second category stems from a 2017 cabinet decision that laid out a broader Afghan management strategy. One part of that policy focused on border management to stop undocumented entry. Another dealt with the absence of a specific refugee law in Pakistan at the time, with plans to introduce such legislation. A further component involved the registration of undocumented individuals, which led to the issuance of Afghan Citizen Cards, or ACCs.

The third category comprises Afghans who arrived in Pakistan after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The report put their number at about 600,000 and said the group included journalists, singers and others.

The report also outlined the timeline of action against different groups, stating that measures were taken against undocumented individuals in September 2023, against ACC holders in April 2025, and against PoR cardholders in September 2025.