PESHAWAR: Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have launched a major crackdown on illegal foreign residents, arresting more than 1,000 undocumented Afghans so far.
The operation follows heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Authorities said previous enforcement in Peshawar and other districts had been relatively relaxed compared with other provinces.
Police said the crackdown is part of special measures to maintain law and order in the wake of recent border clashes. Teams were formed at the local police station level to conduct daily operations.
Officials said the arrests focused solely on undocumented Afghans and other foreign nationals residing in Pakistan without legal status or documentation.
The number of arrests in Peshawar over the past two days is the highest since return orders for Afghans were first issued. Police said many detainees are being held in jails and police stations while awaiting border reopening, creating logistical challenges due to limited capacity.
Courts have granted temporary bail for some detainees until border crossings resume. Authorities said full records of undocumented individuals are being used to guide the operations.
Officials stressed there will be no further leniency: all illegal residents must return to Afghanistan. Police said the crackdown reflects provincial government directives and stricter enforcement in Peshawar, where many Afghans had previously relocated to avoid deportation.
Voluntary returns have been affected by border closures. Afghan residents with expired permits or Afghan cards have received return orders, but many remain stranded in Khyber District, unable to cross at the Torkham border checkpoint.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said more than one million Afghans returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2025. So far in 2026, approximately 150,000 Afghan nationals have returned from Pakistan and Iran.
Authorities said roughly two million Afghans with legal documentation, including PoR cards, remain in Pakistan, with the largest concentration in Peshawar. The crackdown aims to enforce compliance among undocumented residents.
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Security officials said border disruptions and Afghan Taliban policies have complicated the return process, leaving many Afghan families stranded and facing hardships during Ramadan.
