A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review has identified errors in 40% of the asylum files examined under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) programme, raising concerns about gaps in the screening and adjudication process.

According to a DHS statement, the department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the programme between March 2024 and January 2025 after concerns that accelerated processing requirements could limit the ability of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to conduct comprehensive reviews.

The review found that USCIS missed opportunities in some cases to link aliases provided by applicants with other information that could potentially have affected their eligibility for asylum, DHS said.

Operation Allies Welcome was established under the Biden administration following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Under the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, USCIS was required to interview OAW asylum applicants within 45 days of filing.

Following a 2023 lawsuit against DHS, a settlement required USCIS to adjudicate 90% of OAW asylum applications within 150 days.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the programme, saying established asylum-screening procedures had not been followed and arguing that the identified errors could create security risks.

The DHS statement cited several cases involving Afghan nationals admitted to the United States through OAW who were later arrested or charged.

These included an Afghan national arrested in November 2025 on federal charges of threatening to kill Americans; an individual identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an ISIS-K member who was arrested in December 2025; and another Afghan national arrested in March 2026 who had previously been convicted of indecent exposure involving a minor.

DHS said the findings demonstrate the need for stronger screening procedures in asylum processing.

The reported 40% error rate refers to errors identified in the asylum files reviewed by the OIG. It does not mean that 40% of the applicants were members of terrorist groups or had criminal records.

The findings and security concerns cited in the statement are those of DHS and its interpretation of the OIG review.

The Sindh High Court has ordered a medical university in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province to allow Afghan students to resume classes, extending temporary protection for students challenging a directive requiring them to return to Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), which regulates medical education, recently directed medical colleges to arrange for enrolled Afghan students to return to Afghanistan and barred new admissions or placements for Afghan nationals during the current academic year.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office, however, has said Afghan students holding valid visas and enrolled in recognized programmes can complete their education, raising questions over the application of the PMDC directive to existing students.

The case comes amid Pakistan’s ongoing campaign to return Afghan nationals, which began in 2023 with a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.

Islamabad has cited immigration enforcement and security concerns. More than two million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan since the campaign began, including voluntary returnees and deportees.

The Sindh High Court suspended the PMDC directive for the students challenging it on September 14.

During Tuesday’s hearing, lawyers for the students told the court that Jinnah Sindh Medical University had prevented Afghan students from attending classes, disabled their biometric access and moved to evict them from university hostels.

The court ordered the university to restore the students’ access and ensure their education is not disrupted before the next hearing.

Advocate Iftikhar Shah, who represents some of the students, said the court’s earlier protection remained in place, allowing the students to continue their studies and remain in their university accommodation.

Shah said the relief covered 29 students in one petition and three in another, although the final number will be confirmed once the written court order is issued.

According to Shah, a lawyer representing the medical regulator told the court that the PMDC had not received copies of the petitions. The court directed that the documents be provided and adjourned the case pending the regulator’s response, without setting a new hearing date.

Afghan students and trainee doctors have also sought legal protection in other parts of Pakistan.

Courts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have granted temporary relief in some cases, while the Balochistan High Court dismissed a petition by Afghan nationals seeking to continue their medical education and training.

An Islamabad court has separately granted protection to an Afghan doctor undergoing postgraduate training. The differing court rulings have yet to resolve the status of Afghan medical students across Pakistan.

Some of the Sindh petitioners are studying under a Pakistani government scholarship programme for Afghan nationals.

Two women expecting to graduate from a Karachi medical college in 2027 have argued that being forced to leave Pakistan before completing their degrees would end their medical education.

The issue is particularly significant for female Afghan students, as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) authorities prohibit women from attending universities, including medical training programmes.

Afghanistan and Tajikistan have discussed increasing electricity imports and expanding cooperation in the energy sector, including plans for a new 500-kilovolt transmission line.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) CEO Abdul Haq Hamkar and Muhammad Umar Asuzoda, chairman of Tajikistan’s state electricity company Barq Tajik.

The two sides discussed increasing the volume of electricity supplied by Tajikistan to Afghanistan, expanding transmission infrastructure and improving the quality and voltage of electricity.

They also discussed electricity tariffs, investment opportunities, technical training and longer-term cooperation in the energy sector.

Tajik officials briefed the Afghan delegation on plans to construct a 500kV electricity transmission line and expressed readiness to consider Afghanistan’s request for increased electricity supplies.

The two sides agreed that their technical and commercial teams would continue negotiations and work toward practical outcomes on the issues discussed.

DABS said it remains committed to maintaining strong relations with Tajikistan, adding that greater energy cooperation, increased electricity exchanges and practical infrastructure projects could benefit people in both countries.