Naqvi accuses KP of protecting illegal Afghans, issues strong warning

LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the federal government has repatriated 1.1 million illegal Afghan citizens as of April 2025, including 400,000 sent through the Torkham border.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Naqvi highlighted a contrasting scenario in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where he claimed illegal Afghan residents are being provided “protection.” He noted that camps in Peshawar and Nowshera have been officially notified, while those in North and South Waziristan remain active.

The minister warned that some Afghan nationals have been linked to terrorist activities, citing incidents at Wana Cadet College, the Islamabad Judicial Complex, and the Peshawar FC headquarters attack, where three attackers were reportedly Afghans.

To address the issue, Naqvi said that the Station House Officer (SHO) of each police station has been tasked with identifying and sending back illegal Afghan citizens in their respective jurisdictions.

“The country comes first. The KP government will have to accept the federal government’s decision,” he added.

Naqvi said that while Pakistan’s economy is showing signs of improvement, the country cannot risk further attacks. He urged illegal Afghan citizens to return voluntarily and “with dignity,” warning that those who re-enter illegally will face arrest.

On border and airport controls, the Interior Minister said that 50 to 60 passengers are offloaded daily at airports and that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will share detailed records with the media. He also criticized social media misinformation, claiming 90 per cent of such news is false and pushed by agents spreading a wrong campaign.

Regarding legal travel, Naqvi assured that Pakistani citizens seeking legitimate overseas employment will not be stopped. He cited an example of an individual attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia for driving work without a valid license or driving skills, saying, “We have to fix our system too.”