ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has set July 10 as the final deadline for undocumented Afghan nationals to leave the country, warning that a nationwide crackdown will begin immediately afterward against those who remain without valid legal status.
According to directives issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, provincial governments, police authorities, and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration have been instructed to strictly enforce the government’s repatriation policy. Officials have been ordered to identify, detain, and process undocumented Afghan nationals who fail to depart by the deadline.
Beginning July 11, provincial administrations will be required to submit daily reports to the Interior Ministry detailing the number of undocumented Afghan nationals identified, arrests made, deportations carried out, and the legal or custodial status of those taken into custody. The ministry has described the operation as a national priority and has instructed all relevant agencies to ensure its immediate and coordinated implementation.
The latest directive forms part of Pakistan’s ongoing campaign to repatriate foreign nationals residing in the country without legal documentation. Since late 2023, Pakistani authorities have deported hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, arguing that undocumented migration poses challenges to national security, public order, and the economy. Human rights organizations and international agencies, however, have expressed concern over the humanitarian impact of the mass returns, particularly for vulnerable families and individuals who have lived in Pakistan for decades.
The announcement comes amid continuing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border security. Pakistani officials have repeatedly accused militant groups of using Afghan territory as a base to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has consistently rejected these allegations, insisting that Afghan territory is not being used to threaten neighboring countries and calling on Pakistan to address its own internal security challenges.
Earlier this week, Pakistani authorities said a suspected militant arrested following an attack on a Pakistan Rangers Sindh camp claimed during interrogation that he had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan with three accomplices. In a recorded confession released by officials, the suspect alleged that the group had links to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and had received assistance from individuals based in Afghanistan.
The Afghan authorities have not publicly responded to the latest allegations, and the claims made in the recorded confession have not been independently verified.
The July 10 deadline is expected to affect thousands of undocumented Afghan nationals still residing across Pakistan. Government officials have urged those without valid immigration documents to leave voluntarily before enforcement operations begin, warning that failure to comply could result in arrest, detention, and deportation under Pakistani immigration laws.
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