Photos: Why is Pakistan forcibly deporting Afghan refugees to their homeland?

Illegal Afghan refugees are witnessing forcible deportation to their homeland after the Pakistan government-set deadline for them expired. The crackdown on illegal Afghans began on Wednesday.

Last month, the Pakistani government ordered all undocumented immigrants to leave the country by October 31. While giving the ultimatum, the Pakistani authority warned them of imprisonment and deportation if they failed. The Pakistani government had also announced that action would be taken from November 1 against those undocumented immigrants who had not left the country.

The Pakistani government decided to expel the illegal immigrants after a spate of terrorism this year. Out of these attacks, 14 were suicide bombings and in several cases, Afghan nationals were found involved.

As Afghan refugees were ordered to leave the country, Pakistan had encouraged voluntary return to escape arrest or forcible expel. According to an interior Ministry, a total of 140,322 people had left Pakistan voluntarily.

The Afghan side has been overwhelmed due to the exodus with authorities grappling with processing the returnees.

The Taliban government has requested the Pakistani authorities to give Afghan citizens more time to leave with dignity. With this, the Taliban government has denied that refugees are to blame for instability in Pakistan.

Due to the influx, the Taliban-run administration has set up temporary transit camps in Afghanistan where food and medical assistance would be provided to the illegal Afghans who are forcibly expelled.

According to TOLO News, the United Nations has expressed its concern over the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

Pakistani officials on Wednesday informed that approximately 7,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later on Thursday, an official said that more than 165,000 Afghans have fled Pakistan in the month.