The Punjab government has sought reports from police chiefs in six districts on action against illegal Afghan nationals, as it moves to enforce the federal repatriation plan for Afghan nationals living in Pakistan without legal status.
The Punjab Home Department has directed the Capital City Police Officer in Lahore and the district police chiefs of Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Sargodha and Muzaffargarh to act in line with the policy of the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. The direction follows 24 complaints about Afghan families allegedly living in Pakistan illegally.
Illegal Afghan nationals: what Punjab has ordered
The 24 complaints were forwarded by the control room of the federal government’s National Crisis Information Management Cell in Islamabad. The list shared with district police chiefs contains the names and contact numbers of complainants and callers, along with the cities and police stations concerned and details of Afghan nationals allegedly living illegally in various parts of the province.
The Home Department has told the police officers to investigate the complaints, take appropriate action and submit compliance reports at the earliest. Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera has in turn told the divisional superintendents of police for the Rawal, Potohar and Saddar divisions to submit reports on action taken under the repatriation plan within three days. Those reports will then go to the relevant authorities.
Rawalpindi district police and the Special Branch are continuing operations against Afghan nationals living illegally in the district. Earlier this week, acting on Special Branch information, police detained an Afghan national and moved him to a refugee centre for further legal proceedings. During questioning, the man reportedly said he worked at a shoe shop in Raja Bazaar, while his family lived in Afghanistan, and that he did not hold a valid visa to stay in Pakistan.
What happens next
The three-day deadline in Rawalpindi sets the pace for the next step. Once the divisional reports reach the Home Department, officials will have a district-by-district picture of how many of the 24 complaints have been checked and what action followed. The Home Department has asked for compliance reports at the earliest, so further directions are likely once those reports land.
The move comes as border and migration questions stay live across the country. Feature Pakistan reported the army’s response after a family was hit in the Angoor Adda border area in Army Destroys Afghan Border Check Posts After Angoor Adda Incident, and a separate border flare-up at Torkham in Torkham Warning Shots at Border Post. On the wider migration picture, an IOM-UNHCR report on arrests was covered in Afghan Nationals Arrested, IOM-UNHCR Report, while Pakistan’s rejection of a claim about armed Afghans was reported in Pakistan Rejects Khalilzad Claim on Armed Afghans.
Two points in the latest report deserve care. First, the account of the Home Department’s directions rests on sources, not on a named official statement quoted in the report. Second, the complaints themselves are allegations forwarded for investigation, not findings. The reports due within three days are the step that turns those allegations into checked facts.
Source: The Express Tribune, “Punjab seeks action on illegal Afghans”, 28 October 2026, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2637310/punjab-seeks-action-on-illegal-afghans
Frequently asked questions
Which districts has Punjab asked for reports from?
Lahore, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Sargodha and Muzaffargarh. The direction went to the Capital City Police Officer in Lahore and the district police chiefs of the other five districts.
How many complaints prompted the action?
The provincial government received a list of 24 complaints about Afghan families allegedly living in Pakistan illegally, forwarded by the National Crisis Information Management Cell.
What deadline has Rawalpindi police been given?
Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera has told divisional superintendents to submit reports on action taken within three days.
What policy are police asked to follow?
The policy of the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control on the repatriation of Afghan nationals living illegally in Pakistan.
Are the complaints treated as proven facts?
No. They are allegations forwarded for investigation, and the compliance reports now sought are the step that checks them.
