Arrests of Afghan nationals in Pakistan jump 146% in one week: UN report

Peshawar: Arrests and detentions of Afghan nationals in Pakistan surged by 146 per cent in the week ending November 1, driven largely by the reopening of border crossings, according to a UN report.

A total of 7,764 Afghan nationals were arrested and detained during the week, a sharp rise from the previous seven-day period, said the joint report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) released recently.

The crackdown was concentrated in Balochistan, which accounted for 86 per cent of the arrests.

The arrests and detentions surged by 146 per cent in the week ending November 1, the report noted.

Between October 26 and November 1, Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented Afghans made up 77 per cent of those arrested, while Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders comprised the remaining 23 per cent, it said.

Across Pakistan, the districts of Chagi, Attock and Quetta recorded the highest number of arrests and detentions between January 1 and November 1 this year.

Returns and deportations also rose steeply in the final week of October. UN data showed returns increasing by 101 per cent and deportations by 131 per cent compared to the week of October 19–25.

The number of returns climbed from 18,630, including 3,341 deportations, to 37,448, of which 7,733 were deportations, in the week ending November 1.

“This notable increase is primarily attributed to the reopening of the Chaman border, with Torkham also reopening on Nov 1,” the report said.

From September 15, 2023, to November 1, 2025, a total of 1,667,713 individuals returned to Afghanistan.

For returns recorded between October 26 and November 1, PoR card holders accounted for 47 per cent, undocumented individuals for 44 per cent and ACC holders for 8 per cent.

Deportees during the same period were overwhelmingly undocumented, making up 93 per cent.

Fear of arrest was cited as the primary reason for return among 93 per cent of undocumented individuals and ACC holders, and for 39 per cent of PoR card holders since April 1, 2023, the report noted.

The latest trends follow several government directives this year affecting Afghan nationals. In July, the government ordered the repatriation of PoR holders after their cards expired on June 30 and later set a September 1 deadline for them to leave Pakistan.