PESHAWAR, March 25 (Alliance News): The Ministry of Interior’s Foreign National Security Cell has asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to provide records of Afghan students in the province ahead of the March 31 deadline for illegal Afghan nationals to leave Pakistan.
In a letter to the KP Interior Secretary, the federal ministry stated that the Foreign National Security Cell is updating its database and requires the data by March 27. The request comes as part of the federal government’s directive to deport all illegal aliens, including Afghan citizens.
Despite the Afghan Taliban administration’s request to extend the stay of undocumented Afghans in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan has refused to reconsider its stance. Only those with documents for third-country travel can remain until March 31, while others with valid Pakistani visas can stay until their visa expires.
Government officials cite security concerns in Islamabad and Rawalpindi as the primary reason for the crackdown.
According to the Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees (CCAR), Pakistan currently hosts around 2.9 million Afghan refugees, including 0.7 million unregistered individuals and 1.4 million registered refugees.
