Latest News
Pakistan expels thousands of Afghan nationals in fresh drive, says UNHCR
At least 8,906 Afghan nationals have been deported since April 1, the UNHCR said in a WhatsApp message.
Pakistan has expelled more than 8,000 Afghan nationals in the past week in a fresh repatriation drive after the expiry of a March 31 deadline, the UNHCR said on Tuesday.
All Afghan nationals who have no legal documents to stay or those holding Afghan Citizen Cards had been warned by Islamabad to return home or face deportation, Reuters reported.
Authorities say they have set up temporary centers in various cities to house the Afghan nationals before transporting them to Torkham crossing in northwest Pakistan.
At least 8,906 Afghan nationals have been deported since April 1, the UNHCR said in a WhatsApp message.
Islamabad says the drive is part of a campaign called the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023.
Pakistan has in the past blamed militant attacks and crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country. Afghanistan has rejected the accusations, read the report.
Kabul has termed the repatriation as forced deportation.
“There is no doubt that the forced deportation of Afghan migrants and this unilateral action is against all international, Islamic, and neighbourly principles,” Abdul Motalib Haqqani, a spokesman for the Afghan ministry of migration and repatriation, said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Since this matter concerns two countries, it is essential to work on a mutually agreed mechanism to ensure the dignified return of Afghans to their homeland,” he said.
Pakistan says it plans to accelerate the drive to repatriate the roughly four million Afghans who crossed the border during 40 years of armed conflict in their home country and after the Islamic Emirate seized power in 2021.
Human rights groups have raised concerns.
“Pakistan is abandoning its international commitment to not send people back to where their rights are at risk,” said Fereshta Abbasi of Afghanistan Human Rights Watch.
“All countries hosting Afghan refugees should maintain the position that Afghanistan is unsafe for returns.”
Latest News
Afghan border minister holds phone talks with Iran’s deputy foreign minister
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
Latest News
OIC Kabul mission chief meets German envoy to discuss Afghanistan situation
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
Latest News
Pakistan president claims situation in Afghanistan is ‘similar to or worse than pre-9/11’’
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has warned that the presence of militant groups in the region poses risks to global peace, and repeated Islamabad’s concerns regarding what it describes as the activities of “terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan.”
Zardari made the remarks in a statement issued Sunday, as he thanked world leaders for expressing solidarity with Pakistan following the recent attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, which left dozens dead and many others wounded. The incident was claimed by Daesh militant group.
According to the statement from the President’s Secretariat, Zardari said Pakistan remains committed to combating terrorism and stressed that no single country can address the threat alone.
“Pakistan has long maintained that terrorism cannot be confronted by a single country in isolation,” he was quoted as saying.
Citing Pakistan’s experience, he said in the statement that whenever “terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians all over the world.”
Zardari further claimed that the situation in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate authorities has created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11,” and said this has influenced security developments across the region. IEA has repeatedly rejected such allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not used against any country.
-
Latest News2 days agoAfghanistan to grant one- to ten-year residency to foreign investors
-
Latest News4 days agoTerrorist threat in Afghanistan must be taken seriously, China tells UNSC
-
Latest News5 days agoUzbekistan, Pakistan advance Trans-Afghan railway project
-
Sport5 days agoWinter Olympics finally underway, ATN to broadcast exclusively across Afghanistan
-
Sport5 days agoAfghanistan beat West Indies in final T20 WC warm-up match
-
Sport3 days agoIndonesia shock Japan to reach historic AFC Futsal Asian Cup final
-
Sport4 days agoMilano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: What You Need to Know
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghanistan hosts 4th Doha Process Counter-Narcotics Meeting, highlights progress
