The Punjab government has submitted a comprehensive report to the federal authorities detailing the phased repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals, stating that more than 1.76 million Afghan citizens have been sent back since 20 October 2023.
The Punjab government report has included year-wise figures of those who have returned to Afghanistan under the nationwide repatriation initiative.
As per the report, over 435,000 Afghans returned in 2023, followed by more than 334,000 in 2024. In the first weeks of 2025, the number crossed 272,000, reflecting a continued outflow of undocumented Afghan residents from the province.
The TV channel also reported that global pressure on Afghan migrants has intensified as several countries have accelerated arrests and deportation measures.
After Germany and Iran, Turkey has also escalated its crackdown on undocumented Afghans, with a new wave of detentions reported in multiple cities.
The Afghan news outlet Afghanistan International reported that Turkish authorities arrested 14 more undocumented Afghan refugees in the city of Şanlıurfa.
According to the Afghan news, three facilitators involved in the illegal transportation of these migrants were also detained and moved to prison.
The Afghan news outlet also said that the arrested Afghans were found hiding inside a truck and were immediately transferred to a deportation centre.
The report further disclosed that on January 3, Turkish officials detained 32 Afghans in Diyarbakır, while on 10 January, 18 more Afghan nationals were taken into custody in Tokat and Bolu.
The series of operations underscores the intensifying clampdown on illegal migration across Turkey.
The Turkish Migration Agency has also released updated statistics showing that Afghans top the list of illegal migrants detained in the country.
The Turkish Migration Agency stated that 152,000 undocumented migrants were arrested over the past year, among whom 42,000 were Afghan nationals.
The report added that the Taliban administration has taken no significant steps to discourage outward migration, leading observers to conclude that the situation is unlikely to improve in the near future.
