Pakistan is preparing to intensify its crackdown on Afghan nationals living in the country, with around 1.42 million Afghans facing the prospect of deportation as Islamabad steps up its repatriation drive
amid deteriorating relations with the Afghan Taliban.
The latest phase of the operation is expected to target the remaining Afghan population through tighter scrutiny, door-to-door searches and increased enforcement across the country. Authorities are also preparing to scrutinise Afghan students again as part of the renewed deportation campaign.
Details shared by top security sources indicate that Pakistan is tightening its enforcement machinery, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where search operations targeting Afghan refugees have intensified. Reports also point to authorities seizing properties belonging to Afghan nationals as the crackdown gathers pace.
The fresh push comes after Pakistan sent back nearly 2.79 million Afghans under its ongoing repatriation campaign, which gathered momentum following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
With approximately 1.42 million Afghan nationals still in Pakistan, the government is preparing for another major phase of the expulsion drive.
Door-To-Door Searches, Property Seizures In KP
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has emerged as a key focus area in Pakistan’s intensified enforcement campaign. Authorities have stepped up door-to-door searches to identify Afghan nationals and tighten checks on their presence and documentation.
The crackdown is also extending to property ownership, with reports of authorities seizing properties belonging to Afghan refugees.
The renewed scrutiny is expected to cover Afghan students as well, indicating that the next phase of the operation could extend beyond undocumented migrants to a wider section of the Afghan population living in Pakistan.
The measures reflect Islamabad’s determination to accelerate the repatriation process and bring the remaining Afghan population under closer scrutiny.
Nearly 2.8 Million Afghans Have Returned Home
Pakistan’s deportation and repatriation campaign has already resulted in nearly 2.79 million Afghans returning to their country.
However, the figures also reveal an important distinction in how the operation has unfolded. According to the available data, only around 2% of returning Afghans were formally deported, suggesting that the overwhelming majority returned through other forms of repatriation rather than recorded formal deportations.
The distinction is significant as Pakistan prepares to intensify enforcement against the remaining Afghan population.
With another 1.42 million Afghan nationals still in the country, the next phase could put thousands of families under pressure to leave, particularly those facing renewed documentation checks and restrictions.
Why Are Pakistan-Afghan Relations Deteriorating?
The crackdown comes against the backdrop of worsening relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban authorities of allowing militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has rejected accusations that it provides sanctuary to militants targeting Pakistan.
The security tensions have strained relations between the two neighbours, with border clashes, restrictions and diplomatic disagreements adding to the hostility.
Pakistan’s decision to accelerate the expulsion of Afghan nationals has become another major source of tension, with the Taliban authorities opposing the treatment and forced return of Afghan refugees.
As Islamabad prepares to target the remaining 1.42 million Afghans, the latest crackdown risks deepening an already fragile relationship between the two countries.
