Pak’s Punjab detains 5,000 Af nationals

Pakistan’s Punjab government has detained over 5,000 Afghan nationals from different parts of the province to deport them to their home country.

“The Maryam Nawaz administration has detained over 5,000 Afghans from 150 Afghan colonies in Punjab so far after the deadline of volunteer return (of Afghan refugees) expired on March 31,” a Punjab government official said on Monday.

The detained Afghans, including 2,300 children and 1,100 women, have been transported to the transit camps across the province for repatriation/deportation.

Security agencies had identified 100,000 Afghans living illegally in Punjab, the official said, adding that they would be traced and deported soon. He said Afghans with valid legal documents would not be deported.