Pakistan, March 17 -- Weeks after the federal government ordered "illegal foreigners" and Afghan Citizen Card holders in Pakistan to leave by March 31, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur strongly criticized the Centre's policy, arguing that Afghan refugees should not be forcibly expelled.

"The Centre's policy on Afghan refugees is flawed. Past approaches have violated human rights," Gandapur stated during a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday.

Islamabad has previously attributed militant attacks and criminal activities to Afghan nationals, who make up the largest migrant group in the country.

Pakistan initiated its repatriation drive for foreign citizens, mostly Afghans, in 2023, initially targeting those without le...