As the deportation of illegal Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan continues, 1,748 illegal residents, including 466 men, 315 women and 967 children, went back to their country on Tuesday.
Even before the announcement by the government of Pakistan, a large number of illegal Afghans had started returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan over fears of arrest.
As of December 19, the number of illegal Afghan refugees who have left Pakistan has reached 440,124 and the process of return is ongoing.
Moreover, 73 families have been repatriated in 65 vehicles to Afghanistan.
🚨 Update on Afghan repatriation: On Dec 19 alone, 1748 #Afghans left, including 466 men, 315 women & 967 children. Total returns now at 440,124. 73 families sent back in 65 vehicles. #SamaaTV #AfghanRepatriation #Pakistan #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/fN8vlCB0zq
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) December 20, 2023
The government had set a deadline of October 31 for illegal, undocumented Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan or face arrests and forced deportation.
The focus of the crackdown was on individuals without proper travel documents or papers. Those with valid documentation were allowed to continue to stay in the country, provided they met the legal requirements.
Those being deported have been allowed to carry a limited amount of local currency, with specific limits established. Any funds exceeding these limits must be transferred through official banking channels. Afghan nationals have their own currency limit, set at 50,000 Afghan currency per family.
To facilitate the identification and location of illegal immigrants, the government has employed geofencing and collected data on their residence locations, from villages to metropolitan cities.
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