Illegal Afghans face intensified action
In light of the directives issued by the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the field police in Rawalpindi have been instructed to intensify operations against Afghan nationals residing illegally within Pakistan.
The objective is to apprehend and transfer these individuals to designated holding centres to facilitate their eventual repatriation to Afghanistan. Only those in possession of valid visas will be permitted to remain in the country.
Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi, Khalid Hamdani, has issued strict implementation orders to ensure prompt compliance with the ministry's instructions.
According to official sources, efforts are currently underway to identify and deport Afghan nationals residing without legal documentation. Just days earlier, the CPO had expressed serious reservations about the performance of Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) and Station House Officers (SHOs) across the district, directing them to accelerate enforcement measures.
It has now emerged that a formal communication has also been received from the MoI. In response, CPO Hamdani has reissued detailed written orders titled "Operations Against Illegal Afghan Nationals", addressed to the Superintendents of Police of the three divisions — Potohar SP, Saddar SP, and Rawal SP — as well as to all SDPOs and SHOs concerned.
The directive mandates the formation of specialised teams at police station level to conduct targeted operations within their respective jurisdictions. These teams are instructed to locate and detain all Afghan nationals residing illegally, including but not limited to individuals without valid residency permits, persons holding expired visas, those lacking legal identity or documentation, holders of UNHCR tokens, and individuals without Afghan Citizen Cards or Proof of Residence Cards.
Upon detention, these individuals are to be transferred without delay to the relevant holding centres, from where repatriation to Afghanistan will be arranged.
The circular further reaffirms that only Afghan citizens with valid visas are legally permitted to reside in Pakistan.
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