Pakistan Expels Nearly 6,000 Afghan Migrants in Ongoing Crackdown

Pakistan Expels Nearly 6,000 Afghan Migrants in Ongoing Crackdown
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Pakistan deported 5,886 Afghan nationals on Saturday as part of its continuing campaign to remove undocumented foreigners, according to the Taliban’s commission for refugees, Amu TV reported. The commission added that another 100 Afghans were returned from Iran the same day, with some removed forcibly and others departing voluntarily. Deportees were processed through four major border crossings: Torkham and Spin Boldak on the Pakistani side, and Islam Qala and Pul-e-Abrisham along the Iranian frontier.

The latest expulsions follow the removal of 8,642 Afghans the previous day, most of whom were forcibly returned, according to the commission. Pakistan began its mass deportation initiative earlier this month, issuing a deadline for all undocumented migrants—many of them Afghans—to leave or face arrest and forced repatriation. The policy has drawn criticism from the United Nations and international human rights groups, who warn that returnees may face severe risks under Taliban rule.

In Rawalpindi, local media reported that authorities have formed a specialized police task force dedicated to detaining undocumented Afghans. The unit includes 13 teams staffed with police officers, plainclothes detectives, and counterterrorism personnel. The escalation comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban over cross-border militancy and the alleged presence of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters in Afghanistan.