Pakistan Deports 781 Undocumented Afghans via Torkham Border

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has deported 781 undocumented Afghan nationals from Islamabad via the Torkham border crossing, while also announcing plans to handle the cases of Europe-bound Afghan migrants through diplomatic channels.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that while the government continues its repatriation of unauthorized residents, Afghan nationals seeking passage to Europe or other destinations will not be sent back to Afghanistan. Instead, their cases will be addressed through diplomatic engagement with the relevant countries.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take up these cases with the concerned nations,” Naqvi said, distinguishing between undocumented residents and those intending to migrate onward.

This move is part of Pakistan’s broader efforts to regulate its Afghan refugee population, a longstanding issue dating back to 1979 when the country first began hosting Afghan refugees following the Soviet invasion. Over the decades, Pakistan has sheltered millions of Afghan nationals fleeing conflict.

Authorities are executing the deportation process through established border mechanisms at Torkham, one of the key crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan.