For Malam Zameer, who has lived in Peshawar’s Khababiyan Afghan refugee camp for the past four decades, the thought of returning to Afghanistan is both unimaginable and heartbreaking. Born in Afghanistan but raised in Pakistan, he never thought he would have to leave the place where most of his children were born and raised.
“Ever since the notification of the refugee camps was cancelled, I can hardly sleep,” Zameer told The Express PAkGazette. “They are asking us to go back, but how can we afford it? It costs between Rs 200,000 and Rs 300,000 to transport our belongings to Afghanistan. Most of us are daily labourers, vegetable sellers or unemployed. Even if we want to go, how do we pay for it?”
On Friday, the federal government, through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), issued a formal notification to immediately close 28 Afghan refugee camps in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The notification, dated October 15, 2025, said the decision was in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ directives dated July 31, 2025.
The notice clarifies that the land and immovable property of these camps will be handed over to the provincial government and the concerned deputy commissioners.
In another unreported camp in Shamshatoo, Raghuna Bibi (name changed) has a similar story. Born in Peshawar’s Haji Camp, she got married nine years ago and has lived in Shamshatoo with her two children since then. “We bought a small three-marla house here with our life savings. How can we leave it behind?” she said. “My children were about to start school, but now they are telling us to leave and move to Afghanistan. The uncertainty has left us mentally paralyzed.
According to data provided to The Express PAkGazette by the Afghan Commissioner, a total of 43 Afghan refugee camps in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan and Haripur, have been de-notified. Refugees residing in these camps have been instructed to return to Afghanistan, and the repatriation is being carried out in phases according to government policy.
In Haripur, three Afghan camps hosting some 67,000 refugees have also been denominated. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Farhan Khan, around 10,000 refugees have already crossed into Afghanistan in the past few days, while repatriation of the remaining 57,000 continues.
Read: Punjab launches crackdown on illegal Afghan residents, whistleblowing system announced
Sources said the move was aimed at ensuring the gradual return of Afghan nationals living illegally in Pakistan. Notices have been issued to vacate camps in Nowshera, including Akora Khattak and Khairabad.
“We are ensuring a dignified repatriation process,” said DPO Khan. “Police teams are visiting the camps to guide families about voluntary return. There is no coercion, families are leaving voluntarily. Both the district administration and police are following the government policy to facilitate their safe return.”
Similarly, eight Afghan camps in Peshawar, including large settlements such as Khazana, Naguman, Khababiyan and Khurasan, have also been de-notified. According to officials, the Deputy Commissioner’s office has advised families to prepare for departure.
However, many refugees are still waiting for clarity on their property and business assets before taking the step.
Government sources said district administrations had been instructed to ensure that the fields were completely cleared within seven days. Authorities have reportedly completed all preparations for the dignified return of Afghan refugees, while security agencies have beefed up surveillance around the camps to maintain order.
Peshawar SSP Operations Masood Ahmed Bangash told The Express PAkGazette, “The city police have been instructed to assist the refugees in their return. We are ensuring that those who return do not face any difficulties related to transportation or route,” he said. “Police have been strictly instructed not to detain or harass any Afghan refugees. Those who leave do so in accordance with the government’s official repatriation policy.
The measure is part of the government’s policy to repatriate Afghan refugees and implement deportation measures. Joint teams from the district police and local administration supervise the registration and transfer of camp residents. Commissioner Mardan has submitted a report to the Chief Secretary and the Afghan Commissioner has handed over administrative control of the vacated camps to the Commissioner.
Expulsion of Afghans
The closures are part of a broader state policy to expel illegal Afghan refugees, accelerated by rising tensions with Afghanistan. In Punjab, the government plans to establish a “whistleblowing system” to report illegal migrants, while in Sindh, authorities have begun demolishing Afghan homes to facilitate repatriation.
During a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, it was announced that the complaints system would maintain the anonymity of whistleblowers. The government will also launch a search operation targeting illegal residents and businesses, and those found without legal status will be deported in accordance with federal policy.
The Punjab government has also taken steps to bring Afghan citizens into the tax net. The information minister clarified that Afghans legally residing in Pakistan would not be allowed to operate businesses without paying taxes.
Read more: Demolitions of Afghan homes begin in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth
According to Department of the Interior statistics, around 65,000 Afghan citizens have already been deported and operations are ongoing.
In Karachi, authorities have begun demolishing homes in the Afghan Basti area of Sohrab Goth. The Malir Development Authority (MDA) has taken control of the land to prevent encroachment and reclaim it for official use. Previously, the camp, under Gulshan-e-Maymar police jurisdiction, was home to more than 3,000 households and approximately 15,000 Afghan citizens, although around 1,500 are reported to remain.
The human cost
In Punjab, the crackdown has raised concerns among local Pakhtun communities, who say they are frequently subjected to identity checks during police raids.
“It is because of them that our areas are undergoing cleaning operations repeatedly,” said Gulzeb Khan, a businessman from Lahore Cantonment and member of the Pakhtun Welfare Association. He added that obtaining documents such as NIC, passports and birth certificates has become difficult for his community.
Afghan citizens in Pakistan have also expressed their anguish. Moeen Khan, a worker in Lahore, said he and his family had lived in the country for 60 years and had no relatives in Afghanistan. “We love Pakistan and want both countries to live as brothers. This country has given us shelter and opportunities,” he said, recounting an incident in which police detained his family at a city entry point and demanded Rs 500 to avoid deportation.
Pakistan-Afghanistan border clash
Pakistan maintains its repatriation policy from November 2023 as part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan. Authorities have since repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghans as part of the ongoing deportation campaign.
Also read: Explained: Pakistan-Afghanistan border conflict
However, tensions have recently escalated following Afghan fire on multiple locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting swift military retaliation. Several Afghan posts were destroyed and dozens of Afghan soldiers and militants were killed.
A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed upon at the behest of the Afghan Taliban regime following Pakistan’s “precision strikes” against the Taliban and terrorist hideouts in Kandahar and Kabul.
