{
  "id": 18423230,
  "title": "Over 143,000 Afghan nationals repatriated from Punjab",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/over-143-000-afghan-nationals-repatriated-from-punjab",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-06T02:29:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40447700/over-143000-afghan-nationals-repatriated-from-punjab"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "LAHORE - The Punjab Home Department has ramped up its efforts to expel illegally residing Afghan nationals, repatriating over 143,474 individuals as part of the federal government's national repatriation campaign. In total, 2,807,250 Afghan nationals have been repatriated from Pakistan, according to the Home Department. A senior official revealed that more than 400,000 search operations were carried out in residential areas and markets to identify the illegal residents. As a result of these operations, 803 cases were filed against individuals who rented properties to the Afghan nationals residing in the country unlawfully. At present, there are 39 holding centers in Punjab, housing 153 Afghan nationals, which provide temporary accommodation, registration assistance, and support in completing legal and administrative formalities ahead of their repatriation. Once the required procedures are completed, the individuals are handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border for their return to Afghanistan. Illegal Afghan nationals without valid visas are prohibited from staying in Pakistan under the government's repatriation policy. The Home Department spokesperson emphasized that the measures were exclusively targeted at individuals residing in the country without authorization, distinguishing them from legal Afghan nationals. The authorities encourage the public to cooperate and report any cases of illegal residence, identity fraud, or suspicious activities through the Emergency Helpline 15, assuring that the informants' identities would be kept confidential. The Foreign National Security Wing of the Punjab Home Department is actively monitoring and coordinating the repatriation process across the province.",
  "summary": "LAHORE: The Punjab Home Department has intensified its province-wide crackdown on illegally residing Afghan nationals, with more than 143,474 individuals repatriated from the province under the federal government’s ongoing national repatriation campaign. According to the Home Department, a total of 2,807,250 illegally residing Afghan nationals have so far been repatriated from Pakistan. A senior…",
  "key_points": [
    "Punjab Home Department repatriated over 143,474 Afghan nationals.",
    "2,807,250 Afghan nationals repatriated from Pakistan overall.",
    "39 holding centers in Punjab provide temporary accommodation for repatriates."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Aggressive search operations and legal action against property owners signal a tightening of provincial enforcement aimed at systematically purging undocumented Afghan residents from the local population.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}