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KABUL – Pakistan has reported that nearly half a million Afghans residing in the country without valid documents have returned home in a span of just over two months. The announcement came from caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti during a news conference in Islamabad on Friday.
Bugti revealed that more than 482,000 Afghans have voluntarily repatriated during the past two months, constituting 90% of the total. As part of the ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration, Pakistan has also decided to deport 10 Afghans who were legally in the country but involved in political activities, as reported by the Associated Press.
During the news conference, Bugti emphasized that only Pakistani citizens are permitted to engage in political activities within the country. He stated that any foreigner found participating in political activities would face immediate deportation. The caretaker Interior Minister did not disclose the identities of the 10 Afghans facing deportation, nor did he provide details about their involvement in Pakistani politics.
Bugti clarified that, in the initial phase, only undocumented Afghans are being deported. However, he suggested that eventually, all Afghan refugees would need to return, highlighting that Pakistan had hosted them for up to 40 years.
The timing of Bugti’s comments coincides with the visit of US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, to Islamabad. During his visit, West engaged with Pakistani officials, including the foreign minister and army chief. On a subsequent day, West mentioned discussions focused on the “grave security challenges posed by TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan)” and the imperative to protect Afghan refugees.
