Afghan repatriation from Pakistan has now covered more than 2.7 million people, with Punjab intensifying arrests of Afghans living in the country without valid visas, the provincial home department said on Friday. The figures form part of a nationwide campaign that has been running since late 2023.
Figures Released by the Punjab Home Department
In a statement, the Punjab Home Department said a total of 2,760,653 Afghans described as illegal residents had been repatriated from Pakistan, including 142,820 from Punjab. The department said the government’s policy was clearly defined and that the stay of Afghan nationals without a valid visa was illegal.
Pakistan launched the drive in late 2023, ordering undocumented foreigners, most of them Afghans, to leave the country. The order came amid heightened security concerns and growing tensions with Kabul. Islamabad says militant attacks inside Pakistan are planned from Afghan soil, an accusation Afghanistan denies.
Afghan Repatriation From Pakistan: Holding Centres and Border Processing
According to the department, 39 holding centres are operating across Punjab and currently house 213 Afghans. Those detained are registered and processed at the centres before being returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing.
The department said residential areas and markets across the province were being checked as part of the campaign. It urged members of the public to report undocumented Afghans, identity fraud or suspicious activity to the emergency helpline 15. It added that the identities of informants would be kept confidential and that action was being taken only against people living in Pakistan illegally.
Background to the Policy
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, through decades of subsequent conflict and a further influx after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad maintains that the repatriation policy is necessary because of security and economic pressures.
Returns Recorded by the United Nations
United Nations data show that hundreds of thousands of Afghans have continued to return from Pakistan this year. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration recorded about 686,200 returns from Pakistan in 2026 through 22 August. That figure includes deportations as well as other forms of return.
Concerns Over the Scale and Pace of Returns
Afghan authorities, the United Nations and rights groups have raised concerns about the scale and pace of the returns. They have also questioned the conditions awaiting those sent back to a country facing widespread poverty and limited employment. Sweeping restrictions on women and girls remain in place in Afghanistan, including a ban on education for girls beyond the sixth grade.
Pakistan’s position, as set out by the Punjab Home Department, is that enforcement targets only those residing in the country unlawfully. With arrests rising and holding centres in operation across the province, the pace of the campaign shows no sign of slowing.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 19th, 2026
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