DIG Islamabad directs action against Afghans residing illegally, linked to crime

Directs officers to take strictest possible legal action against land grabbers, illegal arms and drug peddlers

The Islamabad Police have been directed to launch immediate action against Afghans residing illegally in the capital who are found involved in criminal activity, following orders issued by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police.

The directives were given during a meeting chaired on Sunday by DIG Islamabad Muhammad Jawad Tariq, attended by SSP Operations Qazi Ali Raza and all station house officers (SHOs).

According to the Islamabad Police, the DIG issued strict instructions aimed at strengthening security across the city and ensuring public safety. He ordered prompt legal action against Afghan nationals living in the capital without documentation, saying authorities had obtained concrete evidence of their involvement in different crimes.

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Tariq said there would be zero tolerance for land grabbers, illegal weapons and drug peddlers, and directed officers to take the “strictest possible legal action” against those involved.

He also instructed police to crack down on active gangs linked to major criminal activities and ordered effective operations against groups involved in car and motorcycle theft. Patrolling and checking, he added, must be made more purposeful, while citizens’ complaints should be addressed on a priority basis.

Many Afghans have lived in Pakistan since the 1980s after fleeing successive conflicts in Afghanistan, but following cross-border attacks from Afghan territory, the government decided to repatriate Afghan nationals residing in the country.

Pakistan has repatriated more than 1.5 million Afghan citizens since November 2023, as authorities continue a nationwide campaign to remove what they describe as undocumented foreign nationals.

The repatriation drive, launched in November 2023, has resulted in the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Afghans. Officials earlier said the operation initially focused on individuals without legal documentation, while other categories — including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, who were granted temporary legal status in 2017 — would be addressed in later phases.

Pakistan has previously attributed militant attacks and certain crimes to Afghan citizens, who make up the country’s largest migrant community. Afghanistan has dismissed the allegations and described the ongoing repatriations as forced deportations.