The federal government has accelerated its campaign to deport foreign nationals residing illegally in Pakistan, with a particular focus on undocumented Afghan citizens, officials confirmed on Saturday.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated that residing in Pakistan on expired Proof of Registration (PoR) cards is illegal, warning that Section 14B of the Foreigners Act will now be enforced to ensure the return of under-trial Afghan nationals.

“The PoR cards expired on June 30, and anyone still residing in Pakistan under this documentation is now considered to be living illegally,” said an Interior Ministry spokesperson. Authorities have been directed to arrest and deport such individuals, with strict instructions issued to district administrations, police, jail authorities, and other relevant bodies.

The move is part of a broader deportation initiative that began in 2023 and was revived in April 2025, after the government revoked hundreds of thousands of temporary residence permits held by Afghan refugees. Those failing to leave voluntarily were warned of potential arrest and deportation.

On Friday, senior officials in Balochistan confirmed the renewed push was already underway.

“We have received directives from the home department to launch a fresh drive to repatriate all Afghans, ensuring it is done in a respectful and orderly manner,” said Mehar Ullah, a top government official in Quetta.

At the Chaman border crossing, which connects Balochistan to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, officials reported that between 4,000 to 5,000 people were waiting to cross into Afghanistan.

Abdul Latif Hakimi, who heads the refugee registration department in Kandahar, said Afghan authorities were witnessing an uptick in returnees on Friday. “We are aware of an increase in the return of Afghans,” he told AFP.

Since the crackdown began in 2023, more than one million Afghans have returned to their home country, including over 200,000 since April this year alone. The campaign has primarily targeted over 800,000 Afghans living in Pakistan under temporary permits—many of whom were either born in Pakistan or have spent decades here.

Millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan over the past four decades to escape conflict, particularly during the Soviet invasion, the civil war, and more recently, after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.

While Islamabad says the deportation drive is a matter of national security and legal enforcement, human rights organizations have raised concerns about the forcible nature of the returns. The Pakistani government, however, argues that growing security threats—particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan—and economic constraints necessitate firm action.

Last year, Pakistan recorded its highest number of deaths from terrorist attacks in a decade. Officials have frequently accused Afghan nationals of involvement in some of these incidents.