The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that Pakistani authorities have arrested or detained 6,094 Afghan nationals for lack of valid documents so far this year.
The arrests come as part of a larger crackdown on undocumented migrants in the country.
Since September, more than 733,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan, following Pakistan’s decision to deport over one million undocumented migrants, according to UN report.
The deportation plan was approved by Pakistan’s national Apex Committee, with a deadline set for November 1 for migrants to leave the country.
The UNHCR noted that the peak of migrant returns occurred in May and June, with more than 38,000 people returning each month.
“The trends have followed a similar pattern and have been decreasing since May,” the agency reported, adding that over 630 migrants were arrested or detained in September.
The UN refugee agency has provided assistance to nearly 112,000 returnees as part of its efforts to support those affected by the deportation campaign.
On October 3, the Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency reported that 319 Afghan migrant families returned from Pakistan and Iran as part of the ongoing repatriation process.
