The Department of Refugees and Repatriates of Balkh province has allocated around 3,000 acres of land to returning Afghan refugees, officials said, as the distribution process continues.

So far, more than 27,000 families have been registered in the province, with each set to receive one plot of land. Over 300 families have already been given land in Maulana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi township.

Asadullah Wafa, head of the Department of Refugees and Repatriates in Balkh, said, “Approximately 27,000 to 28,000 families are listed. The committee has begun its work, and land documents are being processed. Land and deeds have been given to 350 families, and their documentation is complete.”

Returnees welcomed the initiative but noted that lack of permanent housing, unemployment, and limited access to health and education remain major challenges.

Agha Mohammad, a returnee, said, “We are very happy that we were given land.”

While international organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over the forced expulsion of Afghans from Pakistan and Iran, Pakistani authorities continue to increase pressure on Afghan refugees.

The process of land distribution is also ongoing in several other provinces of the country.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing that it has no intention of interfering in the country’s government.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, spokesperson Tahir Andarabi addressed questions about the possibility of a change in Afghanistan’s leadership. He said, “It is for the Afghan people to pick and choose whichever government they want, and we are ready to work with the present dispensation, the current Kabul regime.”

Andarabi stressed that using the term “regime change” in reference to a neighboring country is incorrect. He reiterated that Pakistan’s policy is to respect Afghanistan’s internal decisions and to maintain constructive cooperation with the government in Kabul.

The statement comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours over security issues.

Andarabi said Islamabad was still waiting for written assurances from the Islamic Emirate not to use Afghan soil against Pakistan and that the closure of the trade crossings was linked to this issue.

Since the closure of the crossings, 306 Pakistani citizens, including 15 students, have returned to their country by air, he said.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are organized by militants on Afghan soil. In October, Pakistan launched attacks in Afghanistan and deadly clashes between the two sides led to the closure of crossings.

The Islamic Emirate, however, rejects Pakistan’s claims, saying the root of insecurity is inside the country and Afghanistan cannot be held responsible.

Zabiullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, has warned that a specific powerful circle in Pakistan might have plotted a new “conspiracy” against Afghanistan, either to serve foreign interests or to assert control over the Islamic Emirate.

Speaking in an interview released Thursday, Mujahid suggested that Pakistan’s recent attacks on Afghanistan could be linked to U.S. discussions over Bagram.

He said: “A powerful circle in the army may believe that Afghanistan should follow its wishes and policies. When Afghanistan asserted its independence, they resorted to plotting.”

Mujahid stressed that such ambitions are unrealistic: “Their dream is misguided. They will neither succeed in serving foreign powers nor dominate the independent system of the Islamic Emirate.”

Pakistani authorities often claim that attacks on their soil are orchestrated by militants from Afghanistan. In October, Pakistan carried out attacks inside Afghanistan, resulting in deadly clashes near the Durand Line.

Addressing the TTP, Mujahed described it as an internal problem of Pakistan, controlling certain areas within the country. He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate does not allow Afghan territory to be used against the security of other nations.

Regarding refugees, he said that many Pashtuns fled to Afghanistan due to Pakistani military operations. The Islamic Emirate has relocated them from areas near the Durand Line to other regions, and none of them are armed.