The Interior Ministry on Sunday issued a notification directing the immediate arrest of any Afghan national “found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa” from July 10.
The notification, addressed to the chief secretaries of all provinces as well as those of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the chief commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory, states the directive is in line with decisions taken during a review meeting on the Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan on June 1.
It states the meeting had directed all governments to “expedite the repatriation/deportation of Afghan nationals, including visa overstay cases, and to ensure strict implementation” of the repatriation plan. “With effect from July 10, 2026, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa shall be arrested immediately,” it added.
The ministry has urged the issuance of necessary directions to all deputy commissioners, district administrations, police and other law enforcement agencies concerned to ensure “uniform and effective implementation.” It has also sought a daily report, from July 11, detailing the “number of Afghan nationals found without valid visas, the action taken against them, and their present status.”
By several estimates, Pakistan has millions of illegally residing Afghans, who entered the country during times of conflict. Exact numbers remain unclear, as many are unregistered and do not have any valid documentation.
Islamabad launched a deportation drive in 2023, nullifying hundreds of thousands of residence permits for Afghans and warning them of arrests if they did not leave voluntarily. According to the government, over a million Afghan nationals were deported during 2023, including roughly 500,000 undocumented individuals.