ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has decided to launch action against Afghan nationals residing in the country without valid visas, with arrests set to begin from July 10, according to the Ministry of Interior.
The ministry has issued official directives to the chief secretaries of all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad.
The instructions call for speeding up the deportation of Afghan nationals whose visas have expired or who have overstayed their permitted period of stay. Deputy commissioners, police, and other law enforcement agencies have been directed to ensure strict implementation of the decision.
The Ministry of Interior also instructed authorities to submit daily reports starting July 11. These reports will include the number of Afghan nationals arrested for residing without valid visas, details of the action taken, and their current status.
The decision was made during a review meeting on the government’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.
Pakistan has previously carried out repatriation efforts targeting illegal foreign residents, particularly Afghan nationals, and has in the past directed large numbers of undocumented Afghans to leave the country.
Pakistan had earlier urged Western countries, especially the United States, to complete the resettlement of eligible Afghan nationals in a timely manner, warning that they could otherwise face repatriation.
Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, a large number of Afghan nationals moved to Pakistan, including individuals who said they faced security risks because of their work with foreign governments. Several years later, many of their resettlement cases remain unresolved, adding to the complexity of the situation.
