Pakistan Arrests 31 Afghan Migrants in Rawalpindi Amid Crackdown

Pakistan’s police have arrested 31 Afghan migrants in Rawalpindi as part of an escalating crackdown targeting undocumented refugees. According to news sources, two of those detained are also accused of involvement in criminal activity.

The arrests were carried out during a widespread door-to-door inspection campaign, in which the identities of nearly 1,100 individuals were checked in homes, shops, and hotels. In the same operation, 35 landlords were also arrested for failing to report their Afghan tenants to the Taliban administration.

Meanwhile, local media report that roughly 13,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan over the past two days. Among the deportees are women, children, journalists, and former employees of Afghanistan’s previous government—raising significant human rights concerns.

Rising tensions between Kabul and Islamabad in recent weeks have led to an unprecedented tightening of Pakistan’s policies toward Afghan refugees. In addition to home raids, Pakistani police have issued warnings to the public to avoid doing business with Afghans or renting homes to them.

The Taliban administration, despite its promises to protect the rights of Afghan migrants, has so far shown both an inability and unwillingness to support thousands of its displaced citizens who sought refuge in neighboring countries after the fall of the previous Afghan government.