On Thursday, the border crossing in northwestern Pakistan witnessed an influx of thousands of people seeking to enter Afghanistan. This surge occurred a day after the government's deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave or face expulsion had lapsed.
Prior to the expiration of the deadline, Pakistani authorities had initiated the process of rounding up undocumented foreigners, predominantly Afghans. Islamabad had delivered the directive abruptly a month ago, potentially leading to the departure or forced expulsion of over a million Afghans from Pakistan.
The Pakistani government justified its expulsion plan by asserting that Afghans had been involved in militant attacks and criminal activities within the country. Despite calls from the United Nations, human rights organizations, and Western embassies to reconsider the decision, Pakistan remained resolute.
Deputy Commissioner Khyber Tribal District, Abdul Nasir Khan, informed Reuters that over 24,000 Afghans crossed into Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing on Wednesday alone. Khan explained that a significant number of people were awaiting clearance, prompting authorities to make additional arrangements to expedite the clearance process. Typically, the border is closed by sundown, but officials worked late into the night at a camp near the crossing.
Since the ultimatum was issued by the Pakistan government, Khan noted that approximately 128,000 Afghan nationals have left for Afghanistan through the border crossing, and thousands more are expected to follow suit in the coming days.
Media access to the border crossing has been denied by Pakistan authorities since Tuesday.
Some Afghans who have been directed to leave have spent decades in Pakistan, while others have never set foot in Afghanistan, raising questions about how they can begin anew in a new land.
Of the more than 4 million Afghans residing in Pakistan, the government estimates that 1.7 million are undocumented. Many of these individuals sought refuge during the decades of conflict that afflicted Afghanistan since the late 1970s. The Taliban's return to power following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 prompted yet another wave of migration.
Before the deadline, officials reported that 140,322 foreigners had voluntarily departed from Pakistan. Major roads leading to border crossings into Afghanistan were congested with trucks transporting families and their belongings as they prepared to leave.
