LAHORE: The Punjab government on Saturday intensified its crackdown on illegal Afghan nationals residing in the province with police transferring over 1,000 individuals to the ‘holding centers’ as part of a broader deportation campaign.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar chaired a meeting at the Central Police Office to review the ongoing evacuation process. The meeting was attended by senior police officials, including regional and district police chiefs, via video link.

Dr Anwar said the evacuation of illegal foreign nationals from Punjab was going on without interruption.

According to a police spokesperson, 2,353 individuals were already present at holding centres while 203 had been deported with the assistance of relevant agencies.

The IGP termed coordination with security and administrative bodies crucial. “Transport, logistics, food and other arrangements are being managed by district administrations to ensure a smooth process.”

The IGP also directed all regional police officers (RPOs) and district police officers (DPOs) to expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants while maintaining high security.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International launched the #UndoTheDeadline campaign, condemning Pakistan’s deportation policy as a violation of international human rights law. The organisation released a compendium, titled “Treat Us Like Human Beings: Afghans in Pakistan at Risk of Unlawful Deportation,” featuring testimonies from Afghan refugees, including journalists, artists, and women fearing Taliban persecution.

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for South Asia, urged Pakistan to halt forced deportations, stating, “Many Afghans have lived here for decades and face grave danger if returned.”

Meanwhile, the Foreign National Security Cell of the Punjab home department has sent some 1,085 illegal Afghan residents to Afghanistan via the Torkham border during the past two days.

The home department also completed formalities to repatriate 1,359 more Afghan nationals, who were holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs). A department spokesman said the Foreign National Security Cell was monitoring and coordinating, and identifying ACC holders, after generating reports from across the province.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2025