Over 500 ‘illegal’ Afghans held in three provinces

Over a thousand undocumented Afghan nationals were detained in three Pakistani provinces over a week, according to a joint report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The majority of the arrests, 97%, involved Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented Afghans from Chagai, Peshawar, and Karachi. Proof of Registration (PoR) holders made up the remaining 3%.

Most of the arrests and detentions occurred in Balochistan, accounting for 56% of the total, followed by Punjab with 34%, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with 10%. Prior to 2023, there was no data collected on the arrest and detention of ACC holders or undocumented Afghans. However, since January 2023, IOM began collecting such data.

From September 15, 2023, to October 17, 2026, approximately 2,744,068 Afghans have been repatriated to their country from Pakistan. During the specified week, UNHCR and IOM estimate that 3,883 Afghans returned through three border crossing points: Torkham, Chaman, and Bahramcha. This represents a 10% decrease in returns and a 48% decrease in deportations compared to the previous week.

Of the 3,883 returns, 83% were undocumented Afghans, 9% were ACC holders, and 8% were PoR holders. Among those who returned, most were undocumented (499 deportations) and the rest were PoR or ACC holders. Deportations, however, decreased significantly, while returns decreased only moderately compared to the previous week.

Since April 1, 2025, 1,890,035 Afghans have returned to their country, with 237,387 (13%) being deported. Fear of arrest was the primary reason for return among undocumented individuals and ACC holders (95%), as well as for PoR holders (68%).