Thousands have gathered at the border crossing in northwestern Pakistan in hopes of crossing into Afghanistan on Thursday, following the expiration of a deadline set by the Islamabad government for illegal foreign residents to leave the country or face deportation. Pakistani authorities began detaining illegal foreign residents, most of whom are Afghans, just hours before the deadline. More than a million Afghans may be forced to leave Pakistan or face arrest and forced eviction due to a directive issued by Islamabad suddenly a month ago.
The Taliban administration in Afghanistan, rushing to handle the sudden influx, stated that it has set up temporary crossing camps where food and medical assistance will be provided, but aid agencies have reported poor conditions at the border. The Pakistani government has ignored calls from the United Nations, human rights groups, and Western embassies to reconsider the deportation plan, stating that Afghan nationals are involved in armed attacks and crimes that undermine the country's security.
Abdul Nasir Khan, Deputy Police Chief of the Khyber tribal area, told Reuters that over 24,000 Afghans crossed into Afghanistan using the Torkham border crossing just yesterday. He added, "There was a large number waiting to be allowed through; we made additional arrangements to facilitate the evacuation process better." Pakistani authorities have barred media access to the border crossing since Tuesday.
Some Afghans ordered to leave have spent decades in Pakistan, while others have never been to Afghanistan and are questioning how they can start a new life there. Among the more than four million Afghans living in Pakistan, the government estimates that 1.7 million of them are undocumented. Relief agencies have warned that this could plunge Afghanistan into another crisis and expressed "serious concerns" about the survival of returnees and their integration into society, especially with the onset of winter.
