The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has urged the federal government to provide necessary funds for the forced deportation of Afghan refugees and has requested an extension until April 10 to complete the process. Sources indicate that the forced repatriation process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to commence from April 11.
According to the Interior Department, a total of 477,434 Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Pakistan so far as part of the ongoing process.
In the second phase of the voluntary repatriation program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 153 individuals have returned to Afghanistan. On April 2, 27 individuals left through the Torkham border, bringing the total number of refugees returned to 477,434.
The deadline for the voluntary return of Afghan refugees expired on March 31, and the forced deportation of illegal foreign nationals was set to begin on April 1. However, a one-week extension has been granted.
In the ongoing crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan, several individuals were arrested in Islamabad and transferred to camps for further processing.
Sources also report that the Landi Kotal Transit Camp has remained inactive for the third consecutive day, leaving the facility deserted. According to the policy, illegal migrants from across the country are to be transferred first to temporary camps in Peshawar and then to the Landi Kotal camp.
Currently, there are 800,000 Afghan citizens holding Pakistani citizenship cards residing in the country, and the federal government has announced plans for their repatriation as well. However, the provincial government is facing a shortage of funds, which is causing delays in the deportation process.
