Punjab to send home 20 more Afghan nationals

LAHORE: Punjab province is set to repatriate 20 Afghan nationals on Thursday as part of its ongoing campaign against undocumented Afghan citizens, a Punjab Home Department spokesperson said.

The nationwide repatriation drive, which began in late 2023, has strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) earlier criticised the policy, warning that the arrest and expulsion of even legally registered Afghans violates Pakistan’s international obligations.

According to the Punjab Home Department, more than 2 million Afghan citizens have been repatriated from across Pakistan.

In Punjab alone, over 150,000 undocumented Afghans have been sent back, the statement said.

The department clarified that Afghans without valid visas must leave, while those with proper documentation may continue to work or run businesses in Pakistan.

Currently, 37 holding centres in Punjab are housing 69 Afghan nationals, with 20 scheduled to be repatriated on Thursday.

Tensions between the two neighbours remain high. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of allowing terror networks to operate from its territory, allegations that Kabul denies.

On Wednesday, Pakistan summoned Afghanistan’s deputy head of mission to raise concerns over a February 16 attack in Bajaur, northwest Pakistan, which killed 11 Pakistani soldiers and a child.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Last year, the two countries faced their heaviest cross-border clashes since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, though a fragile ceasefire has been maintained since the deadly fighting in October. Afghanistan recently released three Pakistani soldiers detained in the October clashes, handing them over to a Saudi delegation in Kabul.