Pakistan has decided to close 16 Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtukhwa (KP), bal Luchistan province and Punjab as refugee repatriation continues.
The federal government last month notify The province’s formal repatriation and deportation of 1.3 million Afghan refugees will begin on September 1.
The decision comes after news announced by the Ministry of Interior on July 31, when POR cardholders (the last category of Afghans who live in Pakistan without a visa) become illegal residents after expiration on June 30.
According to a notice of September 25, 2025, issued by the State and Border Areas (Safron) – a copy available dawn.com – The camps indicated are located in Haripur, Chitral and Upper Dir in KP, Chaghai, Loralai, Killa Saifullah, Pishin and Quetta, in Bal Luchistan province, and in Mianwali in Punjab.
When asked about the camp where thousands of refugees stayed, the Afghan chief committee did not respond to a request for comment.
Haji Abdul Samad is the representative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the main camp in Haripur dawn.com This week, local officials told him to evacuate the camps according to government policies.
However, he said, according to Abdul Samad, he did not attack, arrest or pressure to leave the refugees, with the camp with about 13,000 families and more than 90,000 refugees.
Chief Minister KP Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said in many cases that his government would not force refugees to return.
The Saflon Ministry informed that all land in the area will be handed over to the provincial government and deputy directors of the relevant areas.
They also read that all unmovable assets in the notification area will also be handed over to the provinces and deputy directors.
Most campsites Have bones In the early 1980s, when the Soviet Union invaded, refugees began to come to Pakistan.
UNHCR is concerned
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed concern about the Pakistan decision by some refugee villages.
It reiterated that returning to Afghanistan should be voluntary, phased, secure and dignified.
“Many of the affected people are Afghan refugees who have lived in these villages for many years and are desperate about how this development will affect their lives,” Qaiser Khan Afridi spokesman Qaiser Khan Afridi told Telli Telld Telld Teldi, Tell Teldi Told teld, told dawn.com Saturday.
“In particular, noncompanimental people with international protection needs and humanitarian considerations face special challenges should be protected by (forced) rewards,” Afridi said.
Pakistan begins repatriation of Afghan refugees In 2023 Safety-related issues and tensions Taliban government.
Pakistan also believes that the war has ended in Afghanistan and that refugees should go back.
However, refugees complained about the lack of transportation. They said they faced problems finding trucks used to transfer their household goods.
Gada Ali Khan Zadran, refugee representative at Mianwali Camp, told dawn.com Refugees face difficulties in finding to bring household items to Afghanistan.
Zadran also said that the shipping fare also increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.
According to UNHCR, as of June 30, 2025, there were more than 1.3 million Afghans in Pakistan. More than half (717,945) reside in KP, in Bal Luzhin Province, 326,584 in Bal Luzhin Province, Punjab 195,188, in Islam and 43,154, in Punjab, 75,510.
