June 29, 2026
Staff Report
PESHAWAR
“I was born and raised in Pakistan, studied here, my siblings are all Pakistani in the same way, and yet even today I have no valid document to prove my identity. I live in constant fear of arrest and deportation.”
This is Kamran Khan, whose mother is Pakistani and father is Afghan. Kamran has approached the Peshawar High Court seeking restoration of his mother’s documents and the right to legal residence in Pakistan.
According to the petitioner, the lack of identity documents has severely affected his education, employment, and daily life. Kamran says he has no support, no shelter, and no secure future in Afghanistan, and has therefore appealed to the court for legal protection and the provision of his basic rights.
The problem of non-implementation of court orders
Legal experts say that in many similar cases, the Peshawar High Court has already directed relevant institutions to decide matters in accordance with the law. However, due to the failure to implement court orders in a timely manner, affected individuals are forced to repeatedly approach the court — and in some cases, even resort to filing contempt of court petitions.
Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Ameen-ur-Rahman said that the frequent changes in government policy regarding Afghan refugees have created a state of uncertainty. He noted that this has led to a marked increase in petitions filed by Afghan nationals in the Peshawar High Court, covering matters such as citizenship, family ties with Pakistani nationals, marriage, education, and legal residence — placing additional burden on the judicial system.
Crackdown on Afghans to intensify after July 10
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Interior has directed all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and the Islamabad administration to immediately arrest Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan without a valid visa from July 10, 2026, and to accelerate the deportation process. According to the Ministry of Interior, this decision was taken on June 1 during a review meeting of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP). The directive further states that from July 11 onwards, daily reports on arrested individuals, action taken against them, and their current status must be submitted to the Ministry of Interior.
Over 2.4 million Afghan nationals returned
According to official figures, more than 2.4 million Afghan nationals have left Pakistan between September 2023 and 2025, while during 2025 alone, 1,155,221 Afghan nationals were sent back. These included holders of Proof of Registration cards, Afghan Citizen Card holders, undocumented individuals, and those who returned voluntarily.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the return of Afghan nationals continued into 2026, with nearly 150,000 Afghan nationals having returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran by mid-February.
Kamran’s case set to gain significance in coming days
Kamran’s case has emerged at a critical time when the government is set to further tighten its crackdown on Afghan nationals residing in the country illegally. Legal circles say that cases of individuals with family ties to Pakistan, or whose matters of citizenship and legal status remain pending, are likely to take on particular significance in the days ahead.