A day after Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister, issued a direct threat of military action against Pakistan, Afghan refugees residing in Islamabad have reported a marked increase in police operations targeting them.
According to refugee accounts, Pakistani police have conducted widespread raids aimed at detaining Afghans, with officers allegedly entering homes where Afghan refugees reside and arresting individuals—even those holding valid residency visas—before transferring them to undisclosed locations.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that many Afghans in Pakistan, after their visas expire, initiate the re-registration process to renew their documents. Under this procedure, the Ministry of the Interior’s visa system grants a one-month grace period and issues a confirmation document indicating that the visa renewal process is underway.
Previously, this confirmation was recognised as a valid legal permit and generally accepted by the police. However, in recent days, law enforcement officials have reportedly disregarded these papers, detaining even those who possess them. Witnesses state that some of those detained are being deported via the Torkham border, placing Afghan refugees in an increasingly precarious situation.
The intensified police operations have instilled fear and anxiety among Afghan migrants, many of whom live under constant threat of arrest and deportation. In response, Afghan refugees have called on the United Nations and the international community to take urgent action to address their deteriorating circumstances in Pakistan.
