Pakistan Evicts Afghan Refugees Living In Karachi Since 1983 As Tensions Escalate | Exclusive

As border tensions flared between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the provincial government of Sindh carried out a massive cleanup operation by vacating 200 acres of land in Karachi occupied by Afghan refugees who had been living there since 1983.

Acting on the federal government’s orders, the Sindh police, revenue department and Malir Development Authority cleared the land and demolished almost 3,000 small houses in an Afghan slum.

Sources from the local government department told CNN-News18 that around 18,000 to 20,000 Afghans had been living there for more than 42 years. Apart from this, the Sindh government is also conducting raids and surprise checks to identify Afghan refugees.

The operation against Afghan refugees will continue across the province,

including Karachi, said the Sindh government, in light of recent tensions along the Durand Line. This came after the Pakistan government issued orders to all provinces to vacate all Afghan refugee camps.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that all Afghans living in his country must head back to their homeland, declaring that the era of old relations with its neighbour is over. “Pakistan can no longer afford to maintain relations with Kabul as it did in the past,” he said, highlighting Islamabad’s frustration over repeated cross-border attacks.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Clashes

This development came amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours as a 48-hour ceasefire expired at 6 pm on Saturday. Reports suggested the truce was extended, with both sides expected to meet in Doha to seek a resolution. However, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in several districts of Afghanistan’s Paktika province, with the Taliban claiming the truce had been “broken.”

At least 10 civilians were killed, including three cricketers, prompting the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to pull out from a scheduled T20 tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka that was scheduled to begin on November 17.

The two sides later agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” during a round of negotiations mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha. Qatar’s foreign ministry said both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the countries.

Previously, forces from both countries engaged in fierce fighting on the ground, while Islamabad also launched airstrikes along the contested border, in the worst violence between the former allies since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Pakistan has accused the Taliban-led government of sheltering militants, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who have intensified attacks within Pakistan. In response, Kabul has rejected the accusations, stating that Pakistan is responsible for its own security.