In a July 18, 2026 report by Nazanin Mohseni, media, local residents, and officials indicate that Pakistani authorities have drastically intensified their crackdown on Afghan migrants in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The aggressive campaign involves sweeping identity checks, expedited deportations of undocumented Afghans, and the bulldozing of refugee residences.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the government’s push to repatriate foreign nationals saw authorities level numerous properties this July in Mattani, an Afghan settlement situated near the provincial capital of Peshawar. Residents report that a large portion of the community’s approximately 200 homes were targeted for destruction.

Evicted residents were afforded virtually no time to salvage their personal property. Najeeb Rehman, a 50-year-old resident, stated that authorities prohibited him from retrieving vital possessions, including his children’s school certificates and his father’s medication, before destroying his home.

“But the officers didn´t listen to us and just said to demolish the house,” Rehman told AFP while standing amidst the rubble of the settlement.

Ahmad Mula, 70, whose Mattani home was also leveled, echoed this despair: “The police don´t consider anyone´s circumstances. They don´t care whether I have any money in my pocket or not. They don´t take my health into account either.”

The demolitions follow a June directive from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, which ordered nationwide police forces to begin arresting Afghan nationals lacking valid visas starting July 10. A senior Peshawar police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP that a massive operation targeting undocumented Afghans launched on that date and remains active.

“Even before the federal government issued clear directives, police had completed the mapping of Afghan nationals across all parts of the province,” the official stated.

An AFP journalist observed temporary police checkpoints erected across Peshawar to inspect the identity documents of pedestrians. One officer confirmed that law enforcement had received explicit instructions to detain any undocumented Afghan.

The heightened policing has paralyzed commerce in Peshawar’s “Mini Kabul” market, where thousands of shops are run by Afghan merchants. Traders report a dramatic plunge in foot traffic, noting that business has ground to a standstill as frightened Afghans remain hidden inside their homes.

The crackdown is actively driving a spike in border crossings. United Nations data reveals that almost 6,200 Afghans returned from Pakistan in the seven days leading up to July 11—an increase of roughly one-third compared to the prior week.

Pakistan originally initiated its nationwide deportation drive in October 2023, citing immigration enforcement and security concerns. The push coincides with a rise in militant attacks within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and deteriorating diplomatic ties between Islamabad and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities. Since the policy’s launch, Pakistani officials claim approximately 2.4 million Afghans have been deported or returned voluntarily. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), more than 1.15 million Afghans returned from Pakistan in 2025 alone.

The forced repatriations have alarmed human rights organizations and UN agencies. They warn that returnees—many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades fleeing successive conflicts—face severe economic hardship, protection risks, and limited access to services back in Afghanistan. Humanitarian groups are urging Pakistan to ensure all repatriations are safe, voluntary, and aligned with international law, while simultaneously calling upon the global community to expand resettlement pathways and bolster support for the displaced population.