Over 2,000 Afghans detained in crackdown

PESHAWAR:

In the wake of heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, law enforcement agencies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have detained more than 2,000 Afghan nationals during a targeted crackdown on undocumented foreigners.

Prosecution sources confirmed that cases were registered against the detainees under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act. Magistrates' courts subsequently ordered their transfer to jails on judicial remand.

The operation, which began on February 27 and continued until March 4, focused primarily on Peshawar, Nowshera, and Charsadda districts. In Peshawar alone, around 1,600 Afghan residents, including those without legal status, were taken into custody. An additional approximately 400 were arrested in Nowshera and Charsadda combined.

The crackdown was part of broader efforts to address security concerns and enforce immigration laws amid ongoing border disputes and the closure of key crossing points, such as Torkham.

According to official sources, the operation has been temporarily suspended from March 4 until Eidul Fitr, owing to the border shutdown and related challenges that prevent deportations and create administrative complications, including overcrowding in detention facilities.

Police and provincial authorities have described the pause as a temporary administrative measure, not a permanent policy change, to manage the situation during the holy month of Ramazan and upcoming Eid celebrations.