KHYBER: Police deported another six unregistered Afghan nationals from Landi Kotal to Afghanistan, while three families had voluntarily left for their country on Saturday.

Officials said that the three families had vacated their houses in Khuga Khel area of Landi Kotal and left for Afghanistan via the Torkhum after undergoing necessary verification process in Landi Kotal.

They said that the district administration had already conveyed messages to all the Afghan families residing in different parts of Khyber to leave Pakistan at their earliest in order to avoid any legal action against them.

The six Afghans deported via the Torkhum border were rounded up by the police from Landi Kotal bazaar on Friday had their shops in the local bazaar.

Sources said that these Afghan traders were now secretly contacting their local partners to ‘amicably’ settle their financial issues prior to their voluntary surrender and subsequent deportation.

MOHMAND: The repatriation of Afghan families from Mohmand district has formally begun with the first household departing for Afghanistan from Chanda area in Halimzai tehsil, Upper Mohmand.

According to official sources, the first Afghan families registered at the district level have returned to their native country from the Chanda area.

Speaking on the occasion, the assistant commissioner Upper Mohmand, Usman Hamza, stated that the district administration would continue to extend full cooperation to Afghan families willing to return voluntarily.

He, however, noted that the government had announced a clear policy under which Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan without valid passports or legal documentation will be considered illegal residents and will no longer be permitted to stay.

LOWER DIR: The additional deputy commissioner, Wajid Ali Khan, the other day said that in line with provincial government directives, the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from three camps in Lower Dir was continuing at a fast pace.

Talking to journalists in his office here, the ADC said more than 10,000 had so far returned to Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2026