Over 90,000 Afghans Face Displacement As Pakistan Plans To Shut 16 Refugee Camps

Pakistan has decided to shut 16 Afghan refugee camps across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, a move that will affect more than 90,000 Afghans and intensify debate over security and humanitarian obligations.

Officials say the closures are part of a broader policy shift that began in 2023, when Islamabad launched a nationwide repatriation drive citing security concerns. The targeted camps include Haripur, Chitral and Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Chagai, Loralai, Killa Saifullah, Pishin and Quetta in Balochistan.

Similarly, the government has closed the last Afghan refugee camp in Mianwali, which means there are no longer any operational refugee camps in Punjab. Official data shows that since April 1, 2025, nearly 42,913 Afghans have been repatriated from Punjab.

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Roughly 13,000 families live in the remaining settlements, many of which date back to the 1980s Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and have since evolved into multi-generation communities.

Authorities stress that no raids or forced removals are planned, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has publicly vowed that any relocations will respect humanitarian norms.

Relief organisations warn that dismantling the camps could deepen the hardship of already vulnerable Afghan families and strain Pakistan's relations with both the Taliban government in Kabul and international aid agencies.

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