PESHAWAR – The federal government has ordered the closure of Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, marking a new stage in its nationwide repatriation campaign.
The federal directive instructs provincial authorities to vacate long-established camps in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Mansehra, Charsadda, and Malakand. Thousands of Afghan families are now being told to return home.
The order is part of Islamabad’s wider crackdown on undocumented Afghans. Officials say the aim is to reclaim public land and phase out temporary settlements that have existed for decades. Provincial departments have begun taking administrative steps to clear these camps and enforce the new policy.
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Authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also shared data on Afghan nationals living or working in cantonment areas. Police and intelligence units have compiled lists of traders, labourers, and domestic workers operating across markets and towns. The federal government is now verifying these records to trace individuals without legal documentation.
In Nowshera district, dozens of families expelled from major cities such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad have moved into Akora Khattak. Many are living in rented rooms, tents, or makeshift shelters on vacant land. Local residents warn that the growing influx could strain water and sanitation systems.
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Community elders have appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and provincial authorities to manage the process more humanely. “We need coordination, not chaos,” one elder said. Local officials, however, maintain that the relocation is proceeding lawfully and in cooperation with federal agencies.
The closure of Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reflects not only a policy shift but a humanitarian dilemma. Thousands of families are again on the move, caught between political directives and uncertain futures.
