Published on, Sept. 27 -- September 27, 2025 6:52 PM

Pakistan has decided to close 16 Afghan refugee camps across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab amid ongoing repatriation efforts. This move follows the expiration of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which previously allowed over 1.3 million Afghan refugees to legally stay in the country. As of September 1, these individuals are now considered undocumented residents under Pakistan's immigration laws. The federal government issued denotification notices for camps in nine districts, including Haripur, Chitral, Quetta, and Mianwali.

Local officials have begun informing camp residents about the closures, though no forced evictions have been reported yet. For example, in Panian ...