Pakistan is facing rising tensions along its border with Afghanistan as terror attacks from across the frontier increase. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that Pakistan can no longer shoulder the burden of hosting Afghan refugees indefinitely and directed authorities to ensure their immediate repatriation.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Afghan repatriation, PM Shehbaz highlighted Pakistan’s decades-long sacrifices due to instability in Afghanistan, including thousands of lives lost and billions in economic damages during the war on terror. The meeting included federal ministers, provincial chief ministers, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and senior officials from all provinces.
The prime minister praised Pakistan’s armed forces, particularly Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, for repelling recent attacks from Afghan soil, and emphasized the public’s expectation that the government end the refugee burden.
Officials reported that repatriation had begun in phases, with 1,477,592 Afghan nationals returned to Afghanistan as of October 16. Only those holding valid Pakistani visas will now be permitted to stay, and providing shelter to undocumented Afghans is a punishable offence.
PM Shehbaz instructed authorities to treat women, children, the elderly, and minorities with respect during repatriation and encouraged public cooperation to ensure compliance.
Heightened tensions persist due to the Afghan Taliban’s failure to curb terrorist groups operating from their territory. Cross-border terror incidents have surged since 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, across the porous 2,500-kilometre border, which also serves as a key trade route.
Pakistan has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP. UNSC reports indicate Kabul’s logistical and financial support to the TTP.
Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for over four decades, including those fleeing the Soviet invasion and the Taliban takeover in 2021. Following a 2023 crackdown on undocumented Afghans, over 554,000 have returned since April 2025, with 145,000 repatriated in August alone. Security sources assert that terrorist facilitators in Afghanistan are receiving support from India.
The federal and provincial governments have pledged full cooperation to ensure the dignified, timely return of Afghan refugees while safeguarding Pakistan’s security and regional stability.
