The undocumented Afghans have started to leave Pakistan following the warning issued by the government. The government has set a deadline for the undocumented immigrants to leave Pakistan till Oct 30. Following the ultimatum, as many as 30 Afghan families returned to their hometown through the Torkham border crossing during last few days. A crackdown is already underway against the unrecorded Afghans those are residing in different parts of the country, media reports said. Media reported that people attached with the immigration department are dubbing the return of Afghan families a routine affair. However, independently the departure is considered an outcome of government instructions. It said in the days to come, the migration of Afghan families from Pakistan, majority of them living in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, would increase. Currently the families those are leaving Pakistan are being helped at the Torkham in connection with their clearance.

Currently, as many as 23,000 Afghans are living in various parts of Khyber and Afghan Commissionerate has also duly registered them, media quoted the deputy commissioner of Khyber as saying. He said among these 18,000 Afghans had Afghan Citizen Cards and remaining got Proof of Registration cards. All the statistics were provided to the Pakistan government by the Afghan Commissionerate, the DC said adding no particulars of the Afghans are available residing in Khyber without registration.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)