Punjab Intensifies Crackdown on Afghanistani Migrants

DID Press: Pakistan Punjab province has launched the third phase of its ongoing campaign to detain and deport Afghanistani migrants, as part of the federal government’s continued hardline policy toward undocumented foreigners.

According to Pakistani media reports, 123 Afghanistani nationals have so far been detained during this phase and transferred to repatriation centers.

Official figures indicate that since April 2025, more than 42,000 Afghanistani migrants have been deported from Punjab alone. Pakistani authorities say the identification and deportation of undocumented migrants will continue.

Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa host the largest Afghanistani refugee populations in Pakistan — many of whom recently fled Afghanistan due to insecurity, unemployment, and political instability.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s interim government, which has repeatedly promised to facilitate the return process and ensure dignified living conditions for returnees, has so far failed to meet even their most basic needs.

Reports suggest that many returnees face severe challenges, including unemployment, lack of healthcare and education services, and persistent insecurity across large parts of the country.