Pakistan has intensified its campaign against undocumented Afghan nationals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where police have launched a large-scale crackdown involving identity checks, housing demolitions, and deportation measures.
According to officials, the operation follows directives issued by the Interior Ministry, which instructed law enforcement agencies nationwide to arrest Afghan citizens without valid visas from July 10.
Police in Peshawar and surrounding areas have established temporary checkpoints to verify identity documents, while authorities have also demolished homes in Afghan settlements, including in Mattani, near Peshawar. Residents said many families were forced to pack their belongings and prepare to return to Afghanistan.
Community members reported that dozens of houses in the settlement were demolished despite residents requesting additional time to collect personal belongings, including medicines and educational documents.
A senior police official said authorities had completed the mapping of Afghan nationals across the province before launching the operation and had repeatedly warned undocumented residents to leave through mosque announcements and meetings with community elders.
The crackdown comes as Pakistan continues its repatriation drive, which began in 2023. According to United Nations figures, approximately 2.3 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan since the campaign started. UN data also showed that nearly 6,200 Afghans returned during the week ending July 11, marking an increase from the previous week.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shares deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties with Afghanistan, with many families living across both sides of the border. The province remains home to a significant Afghan population, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades.
In Peshawar’s Board Bazaar, commonly known as “Mini Kabul,” shopkeepers reported a sharp decline in business as many Afghan residents stayed indoors fearing arrest.
Pakistan has linked its repatriation policy to national security concerns following an increase in militant attacks in recent years. Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban administration has repeatedly denied allegations that Afghan territory is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan and has criticized Pakistan’s cross-border military actions.
According to the United Nations, more than one million Afghan nationals remain in Pakistan.
