Punjab Launches Third Phase of Afghan Migrant Deportations, Detaining 123 Individuals

According to Pakistani media, the provincial administration of Punjab in Pakistan has initiated the third phase of its deportation program targeting Afghan migrants. During this phase, 123 migrants have been detained and transferred to return centers.

This move comes as official statistics reveal that since April of this year, over 42,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Punjab alone.

For years, Afghan migrants in Pakistan, particularly in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have faced stringent policies and repeated waves of deportations. Many of these migrants fled to neighboring countries due to insecurity, unemployment, and political pressures in Afghanistan.

Reports indicate that despite repeated promises, the Taliban administration has failed to provide safe living conditions, employment, and education opportunities for returnees; a situation that exposes many Afghan migrants to new crises after they have returned.