Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Closes 42 Afghan Refugee Camps in Two-Phase Operation

Overview

• Officials reported that five camps were closed in an initial phase, followed by 37 across the province in a second phase completed Tuesday.
• Police and other law enforcement were deployed to carry out the closures, with actions taken against unregistered Afghan residents under government policy.
• The provincial government says more than 300,000 refugees are preparing to return to Afghanistan as voluntary repatriation gathers pace.
• Authorities characterize the move as a policy milestone intended to streamline residence records and restore administrative order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Provincial officials said the federal government was informed and involved in coordination, noting the camps dated back to the post-1979 influx from Afghanistan.