ISLAMABAD: The number of Afghan nationals arrested and detained in Pakistan has surged by 146 per cent in just one week, following the reopening of key border crossings, according to a joint report by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The report revealed that 7,764 Afghan nationals were arrested and detained during the week ending November 1, marking a dramatic rise from the previous week. Of those detained between October 26 and November 1, 77 per cent were either undocumented individuals or Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, while 23 per cent possessed Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
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Balochistan emerged as the epicentre of the crackdown, accounting for 86 per cent of all arrests and detentions. Nationwide, Chagi, Attock, and Quetta were identified as the top three districts where the most arrests occurred between January 1 and November 1, 2025. The report linked the sharp increase to the reopening of the Chaman border, with the Torkham crossing also reopening on November 1.
The UN data also showed a sharp uptick in returns and deportations during the same period. Returns increased by 101 per cent and deportations by 131 per cent compared to the week of October 19–25. In total, 37,448 individuals returned to Afghanistan, including 7,733 deportations. Since September 15, 2023, more than 1.66 million Afghans have returned to their country.
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Fear of arrest remains the leading reason for return, cited by 93 per cent of undocumented individuals and ACC holders, and 39 per cent of PoR holders. The report follows a series of government directives this year ordering the repatriation of Afghan nationals, including the July decision to expel PoR card holders after their documents expired on June 30, with a final deadline set for September 1.