Pakistan to Begin Arresting Undocumented Afghan Nationals from July 10

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to begin arresting undocumented Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan from July 10 as part of its ongoing Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.

The Ministry of Interior has issued directives to the chief secretaries of all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, outlining the implementation of the decision.

According to the official communication, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa will be arrested from July 10 onward. The ministry also instructed authorities to accelerate the deportation process for Afghan nationals, including those whose visas have expired or who have overstayed their permitted period of stay.

The letter directs deputy commissioners, police departments, and other law enforcement agencies to take all necessary measures to ensure effective implementation of the policy.

Provincial authorities have also been instructed to submit daily reports to the Ministry of Interior beginning July 11. The reports must include the number of undocumented Afghan nationals arrested, details of the action taken, and their current legal or deportation status.

The ministry emphasized that the directives must be implemented strictly and stated that the decision was made during a review meeting on the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.