Punjab Completes Afghan Repatriation, Closes Kot Chandna Camp
The federal government has officially closed the last remaining Afghan refugee camp in Mianwali, Punjab, marking a key milestone in Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP). Since April 1, 2025, Punjab claims to have repatriated over 42,900 Afghan nationals who were living in the province without valid documentation.
The Kot Chandna refugee camp in Mianwali was the final Afghan camp in Punjab. Its closure means that no refugee camps remain operational in the province. According to Punjab Home Secretary Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi, Afghan nationals without legal documents are now taken to district-level holding centres, where they receive temporary shelter, food, and assistance before being transported to the Torkham border for return to Afghanistan.
“All Afghans residing in Pakistan must leave unless they have valid visas,” Qazi emphasized during his statement to the media.
Repatriation Follows National Policy Amid Rising Security Concerns
The government’s repatriation policy is part of a broader effort to address the security and resource challenges posed by a large undocumented refugee population. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), over 3.5 million Afghans have lived in Pakistan over the decades, including 700,000 arrivals post-2021 Taliban takeover. Approximately half of these refugees are undocumented.
While Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for more than four decades, officials argue that the increasing refugee numbers now strain public services and raise national security concerns. The IFRP aims to identify and remove those without legal status. Many Afghans have voluntarily repatriated, while others were intercepted, placed in holding centres, and transported under state supervision.
In its official notification, the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan, and States and Frontier Regions stated that all land and non-movable assets of the Mianwali camp would be handed over to the Punjab government or the local deputy commissioner.
