LAHORE:Punjab is set to repatriate 20 Afghan citizens to their homeland as it continued its drive against undocumented Afghan nationals, a Punjab Home Department spokesperson said Thursday.
The nationwide repatriation campaign, launched in late 2023, has strained relations between neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to a Punjab Home Department statement, official statistics show that more than 2 million Afghan citizens have been sent back from across Pakistan. "In Punjab alone, over 150,000 undocumented Afghans have been repatriated," the statement said.
It added that all Afghan citizens without a valid visa are required to leave, while those with valid visas may continue to work or run businesses.Punjab is currently operating 37 holding centres accommodating 69 Afghan nationals, 20 of whom were scheduled for repatriation, the spokesperson said.
