Pakistani media have reported that a large-scale operation against refugees from Afghanistan was carried out in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, and several other Pakistani cities, coinciding with the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Express Tribune reported on Friday, February 19, that more than two thousand personnel participated in the operation, inspecting locations associated with refugees from Afghanistan, including homes, shops, and vehicles.
According to the report, in Islamabad, more than 165 homes and 570 refugees were inspected, while in Rawalpindi, 50 homes, 15 vehicles, and 10 motorcycles were searched.
During the operation, 11 individuals were arrested for lacking rental agreements and were subsequently released after their information was recorded and official warnings were issued.
Simultaneously, in the Attock area, refugees without documentation were subjected to inspections, mosque security was heightened, and checkpoints and patrol points were established in certain areas.
This comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had previously reported that thousands of refugees from Afghanistan are being returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan every day, where they face serious challenges.
The organization added that many of those returning have been compelled to leave Pakistan due to restrictive policies and inadequate living conditions, while others have faced forced deportation by Pakistani police.
You can read the Persian version of this news here:
پاکستان همزمان با ماه رمضان عملیات گسترده علیه پناهجویان افغان انجام داد