SWABI: Families of about 170 Afghans imprisoned at the Mardan prison on Saturday asked the government to release them so that they could return to their homeland.

They told Dawn that the Afghans were arrested during Ramazan and after Eidul Fitr in a crackdown and were later sent to the Mardan prison.

An Afghan refugee Riaz Ahmad said that they would return to Afghanistan after heads of their respective families were freed from jail.

He added that the families faced a host of problems as the arrested men were supposed to make arrangements for their return to Afghanistan, requesting the authorities to release them at the earliest.

Other refugees said that they had been trying to secure release of the detainees as they were convinced that they could no longer stay in Pakistan and must leave for Afghanistan.

“We lived in Pakistan for decades and were able to eke out a living for our families. Our children grew up and received education,” Riaz said.

Meanwhile, some Afghan families have made preparations for returning to their homeland.

Some Afghan refugees, who ran shops in different areas of the district, were seen winding up their businesses.

Afghan businessmen told Dawn that they had no other option but to sell these things or else it would be difficult for them to sell them later and people would offer lower price.

Muhammad Iqbal Khan, a Pakistani who bought four solar pedestal fans, told Dawn that one fan cost Rs9,000 in the market, but he bought it for Rs4,000, saying that saved him Rs20,000.

Other people purchased commodities from the refugees as per their need.

When contacted, officials of district administration and police were tight-lipped about the arrests of the refugees but the Afghans had a list of the arrestees.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner, Swabi, Tariqullah said that many individuals had been repatriated after Eidul Fitr, adding that 670 Afghans moved to Afghanistan on Thursday, 639 on Friday and 627 on Saturday.Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2026