Islamabad [Pakistan], November 5 (ANI): In the aftermath of last month’s clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Pakistani authorities have intensified efforts to repatriate Afghan migrants, including an escalation in police raids on Afghan-run shops and rented homes, DW News reported.
The crackdown has extended far beyond border areas, reaching the capital Islamabad and neighboring Rawalpindi. Landlords, fearing legal repercussions, have begun evicting Afghan tenants or refusing to renew leases, leaving many families displaced and searching for shelter.
Afghans residing in Pakistan are also facing severe challenges in renewing their visas — a process described as expensive, uncertain, and riddled with delays.
“We are in hiding and our families are fragmented, unable to stay in one place due to the fear of arrest and police violence. Our businesses have come to a standstill, our children have dropped out of school, and we have no time to consider our next steps,” an Afghan citizen, who requested anonymity, told DW.
Over the past two weeks, several long-settled Afghans have reported police searches of homes in various parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. In addition to raids and bureaucratic obstacles for those seeking to remain legally, Pakistani police have begun using mosque loudspeakers to warn citizens that anyone providing housing or business space to Afghan migrants will be treated as a criminal by the government, according to DW.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that roughly three million Afghan nationals still live in Pakistan, with about 1.4 million holding legal documentation.
“UNHCR appreciates Pakistan’s generosity in hosting refugees for over 45 years amid its challenges. Pakistan has a proud history of hospitality, and it’s important to continue that tradition at this critical time, but we are concerned about the dire situations Afghans are facing in Pakistan,” Qaiser Khan Afridi, the UNHCR spokesperson in Pakistan, told DW. (ANI)
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