ISLAMABAD — Pakistani security forces detained at least 60 Afghan migrants during operations in various neighborhoods of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Thursday, days after the expiration of a government-set deadline for the voluntary return of Afghan nationals.
According to a report by The Express Tribune, 22 Afghans were arrested in Islamabad’s Tarnol, Bhara Kahu, Ghauri Town, and Mirabad districts, while another 38 were taken into custody in and around Fauji Colony in Rawalpindi.
All detainees were initially transferred to a temporary holding facility in the Haji Camp area, the report said. Once registered and processed, they are expected to be moved to Landi Kotal in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province before being deported through the Torkham border crossing into Afghanistan.
Pakistan had set a March 31 deadline for Afghan migrants holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) to leave the country voluntarily. Authorities announced this week that the second phase of forced deportations would begin after the Eid holidays.
Official figures show that as of April 1, more than 886,000 undocumented Afghans have already left Pakistan, with deportations continuing across the country.
Rights groups and humanitarian organizations have voiced concerns over the expulsions, citing the potential risks to deportees returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and calling for adherence to international protection norms.
