Pakistan's ongoing wave of mass arrests targeting Afghan refugees marks a structural shift in the country's migration governance, according to a new report — representing one of the most aggressive enforcement phases in over four decades of hosting Afghan displaced persons. Around 1,500 Afghan refugees have reportedly been detained across several camps in recent days, with operations concentrated in Peshawar and surrounding districts.

Scale of the Crackdown

Local accounts cited by the Afghan Diaspora Network indicate that approximately 100 Afghans were arrested from a mosque inside the Khazana camp during prayer time — a detail that has deepened anxiety among a community already uncertain about its legal standing. Afghan refugees have reported intensifying police raids, document checks, and forced removals in recent weeks.

Many families say daily life has been effectively paralysed: children are no longer attending school, and workers are afraid to leave their homes, severely disrupting livelihoods. The arrests during prayer hours, residents noted, have added a layer of psychological distress beyond the immediate legal threat.

Decades of Legal Ambiguity

Dawood Jabarkhail, writing in a report for the Afghan Diaspora Network, traced the roots of the current crisis to a foundational policy gap. 'Since 1979, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans, at times offering hospitality and at other times imposing restrictive policies. While many Afghans integrated into local economies and communities, Pakistan never adopted a comprehensive national refugee law,' he wrote.

Jabarkhail further noted: 'Instead, it relied on temporary documentation schemes, periodic registration drives, and ad hoc enforcement measures. This legal ambiguity has left refugees perpetually vulnerable to shifts in political mood, security narratives, and bilateral tensions with Afghanistan.' This absence of a codified refugee framework has, over four decades, left millions without durable legal protection.

Abuse, Extortion and Deportation Without Due Process

On 8 May, the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) documented a pattern of arbitrary arrests, mistreatment, extortion, and forced deportation facing Afghan refugees in Pakistan. According to its report — prepared jointly with the World Organisation Against Torture and presented to the United Nations Committee Against Torture — the findings are stark.

Among surveyed Afghans: 68.3% said they had been arrested or imprisoned; 96.4% of detainees reported facing abuse during arrest or detention; 85.7% said they were forced to pay money to avoid arrest or secure release; 75.6% faced threats, humiliation, or other psychological abuse; and 72.4% were held for more than 48 hours without judicial review. Critically, the AMSO stated that none of the deported individuals received an individual risk assessment before removal from Pakistan.

The survey covered 41 Afghan nationals and included six in-depth interviews, with documentation drawn from organisations including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Broader Deportation Toll Since 2023

The AMSO report, as cited by Afghanistan's Khaama Press, noted that more than 3.4 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan and Iran since 2023, amid escalating crackdowns on undocumented foreigners. This figure underscores the scale of a displacement crisis that is compounding pressure on an already fragile Afghanistan.

What Comes Next

With no comprehensive refugee law in place and bilateral Pakistan-Afghanistan relations under strain, rights groups warn that the legal vacuum enabling these enforcement actions is unlikely to close soon. The submission of findings to the UN Committee Against Torture signals that international scrutiny of Pakistan's refugee policies is intensifying — though whether that translates into policy change remains to be seen.