Repatriation of Afghans via Torkham resumes

KHYBER: Deportation and return of undocumented Afghan nationals via the Torkham border resumed on Thursday after the border was reopened for one-way pedestrian movement following its month-long closure due to clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Officials at a temporary transit point established near the Hamza Baba mausoleum in Landi Kotal told Dawn that as many as 50 Afghans, who were housed in different prisons for staying in Pak­is­tan without documents, were br­­o­ught to the transit point and later deported to Afghanistan after a clearance process. The Nat­­ional Database and Regist­ration Authority (Nadra), immigration, police and intelligence agencies were involved in their clearance.

After the deportations, several Afghan families were among almost 100 people repatriated by the authorities to Afghanistan amid tight security.

A detailed schedule for the de­­portation and repatriation at the Torkham border was released be­­fore the return process started at 9:30am. Government departm­e­n­­­­ts, including the Federal Inv­es­tigation Agency (FIA), Cus­toms, the National Logistics Cor­por­at­ion (NLC), and Nadra were dire­cted to activate their respective computerised systems and inf­o­­rm security officials at the bord­er of their ‘ready status’ in advance.

Negotiations underway for return of Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan since October

Furthermore, a curfew was also imposed at Torkham and the civilian movement was strictly restricted around the terminal, Bacha Maina, Machni, and the nearby localities. The police were directed to ensure that civilians did not enter the restricted zone and all the shops remained closed during the curfew hours until clearance was issued by the security officials. Officials were directed that all the deported Afghans would be brought to the border from the Hamza Baba transit point in a controlled manner and then allowed to cross the border.

Similarly, the departments co­­n­­cerned were advised to comp­l­e­­te their preparations for the arri­val and return of trucks carrying Afghan nationals under the Illegal Foreigners Repatria­tion Plan (IFRP) and verify the restoration and preparedness of their respective computerised systems from their senior officials.

According to a notification, trucks under the IFRP would not be allowed on Friday, as the process would resume on Saturday. The Customs officials were dire­cted to convey the message to all transporters to avoid unnecess­ary arrival at the border on Friday.

Meanwhile, it was also learnt that names and other necessary particulars of the Pakistani nat­ionals stranded in Afghanistan since October were shared with security officials at Torkham, as negotiations were underway to se­­cure their return. The Pakis­tani and Afghan border officials also held a brief meeting at the zero point on Thursday but no details of the said meeting could be obtained.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026