LAHORE: The federal government has decided to close all Afghan refugee camps across the country, issuing official notifications for Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
According to documents obtained by private media, the Afghan refugee camp in Mianwali, Punjab, covering 390 acres, has been officially shut down. The Punjab Home Department has directed the deputy commissioner of Mianwali to take control of all movable and immovable assets of the camp.
The Mianwali camp once hosted over 50,000 Afghan refugees, but the number declined over time, with around 14,000 repatriated to Afghanistan. The camp had eight schools and one hospital, with nearly 200 employees.
Out of these, 120 were paid by the United Nations, while the remaining staff received government salaries. The land of the camp is estimated to be worth billions of rupees.
In Balochistan, the federal government has de-notified five refugee camps located in Chaghi, Loralai, Pishin, Killa Saifullah, and Quetta. These include Surkhab, Mohammad Khel, Lajay Karez, ZK Karez, Poshi, Katwai, Ghazgahi Minara, Malgagai, Saranan, and Chaghi camps.
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The Ministry of Interior has instructed that all management and administrative duties be handed over to the Balochistan government. District commissioners, in coordination with provincial Afghan refugee commissioners, will oversee the transfer of these camps and ensure their safe and productive use.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three camps have also been closed. These include Panian, Basu Mera (Haripur), Padhana, Kalkatak/Kesu, and Barawal, located in the districts of Haripur, Chitral, and Upper Dir.
The land and assets of these camps will now be transferred to the KP government. Local commissioners have been directed to complete the handover process in writing through provincial authorities.
Officials revealed that 17 Afghan refugee camps were set up in Pakistan over past decades, mostly in Punjab, Balochistan, and KP. With these notifications, the government has accelerated its plan to completely shut down refugee settlements under the Pakistan Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
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Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary confirmed the development and stressed that the government’s policy is very clear: no foreigner can live in Pakistan as a refugee without legal documents. He added that over 850,000 refugees have already been sent back to their home countries due to this strict policy.
Chaudhary further said that Pakistani embassies are issuing visas and other travel documents to those who wish to visit or stay legally.
He concluded that the Cabinet-approved policy requires all Afghan nationals and other foreigners to have valid documents for entering and staying in Pakistan. “No one will be allowed to remain in the country without legal permits,” he emphasized.
