TURBAT: According to police sources, Afghan nationals attempting to flee after disembarking from a coach and boarding a Land Cruiser were chased by police.
Officers opened fire on the vehicle, injuring two Afghan nationals, while the remaining twenty-four were arrested and transferred to a police station.
Repatriation of Afghan Nationals in Pakistan
The repatriation of Afghan nationals has remained a critical policy and security priority for Pakistan.
Following the implementation of strict government directives—most notably the phased repatriation plan launched in late 2023—authorities have systematically targeted undocumented and unregistered foreigners residing in the country.
This initiative is driven by broader national security concerns, border management reforms, and efforts to regulate undocumented populations.
The policy has led to the voluntary return and forced deportation of hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens through designated border crossings like Torkham and Chaman.
While federal and provincial governments maintain that these rigorous measures are essential for law enforcement and counter-terrorism, humanitarian organizations have repeatedly voiced concerns regarding human rights, the safety of returnees, and the reintegration challenges faced by families returning to a destabilized Afghanistan.
Despite these domestic and international pressures, security forces continue to clamp down heavily on illegal border crossings, human smuggling rings, and unauthorized transit within provinces like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reflecting the state’s strict enforcement of domestic immigration laws.
