Pakistan's Ministry of Interior on Sunday issued a directive to immediately arrest any Afghan national “found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa” from July 10.
The Ministry, in a notification issued to the chief secretaries, inspectors general of police (IGPs) of all four provinces and the Islamabad administration have been instructed to ensure the strict implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
The notification stated that during a review meeting held on June 1, all provincial governments, the administrations of the special areas, and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration were directed to accelerate the repatriation and deportation of Afghan nationals, including those who had overstayed their visas, and to ensure the strict implementation of the IFRP.
It further stated that, effective July 10, 2026, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa would be arrested immediately, the Dawn reported.
The notification further directed provincial governments to issue instructions to all deputy commissioners, district administrations, police, and other relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure the uniform and effective implementation of the directive.
It also asked the authorities to submit a daily report to the ministry, starting July 11, 2026, detailing the number of Afghan nationals found without valid visas, the action taken against them, and their current status.
"The matter may be accorded top priority and compliance ensured in letter and spirit," the notification stated.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over the past four decades, many of whom fled successive conflicts in Afghanistan. Their numbers swelled further after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, prompting hundreds of thousands more Afghans to seek refuge in the country, the Dawn report said.
Pakistan, according to the report, deported a total of 1,155,221 Afghan nationals in 2025.