Punjab identifies 123 Afghans for deportation from 46 holding centers; 21,805 expelled province-wide, 42,913 since April.
Over 935,870 Afghans deported since 2023; October sees 22,000 from Punjab, including card holders and undocumented.
Driven by security/economic strains post-2021 influx; Taliban/UN urge delays amid refoulement risks for 3.5M Afghans in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Punjab Govt Steps Up Deportation Drive Against Illegal Afghan Nationals
Third phase targets 123 undocumented migrants in holding centers for Torkham repatriation, amid national push deporting over 935,000 since 2023 amid security and resource strains
Summary
Pakistan's Punjab provincial government launched the third phase of its deportation drive against illegal Afghan nationals on October 12, 2025, identifying 123 individuals for immediate removal under the Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP), as reported by local media. The operation, coordinated with police across 46 holding centers including five in Lahore, aims to repatriate undocumented migrants and those overstaying visas via the Torkham border, following a federal directive targeting all illegal foreigners.
Accordding to PTI, Punjab Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar confirmed that around 21,805 Afghan nationals and other foreigners have been deported from the province so far, with the total reaching approximately 42,913 since April 1, 2025. The latest phase focuses on those without legal documents or who have overstayed for over a year, emphasizing compliance with international laws amid heightened security alerts.
Nationally, Pakistan has deported over 935,870 illegal Afghan nationals since the drive intensified in late 2023, with 7,025 leaving in a single day recently. In October alone, Punjab expelled around 22,000, including 6,000 with residential proof, 11,000 Afghan Citizen Card holders, and 5,041 undocumented individuals, while de-notifying the last refugee camp in Mianwali's Kot Chandna. The UNHCR estimates 3.5 million Afghans in Pakistan, half undocumented, many fleeing the 2021 Taliban takeover.
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