Islamabad Police Intensify Arrests Of Afghans After Visa Suspension
The suspension of visa renewals for Afghan migrants in Pakistan has triggered a wave of arrests in Islamabad, with police intensifying operations across the city.
The suspension of visa renewals for Afghan migrants in Pakistan has triggered a wave of arrests in Islamabad, with police intensifying operations across the city.
On Sunday, officers raided the B-17 township, detaining several Afghan families, including women and children.
Residents reported that nearly all Afghan migrants in the area are at constant risk of arrest and deportation due to the lack of valid documentation.
One resident of B-17, using the pseudonym Mursal, told Afghanistan International’s Pashto service that police arrived early in the morning while families were having breakfast. Although officers did not enter her building, she said several families from a nearby block were taken into custody.
A day earlier, other Afghan migrants in Islamabad also reported arrests in the same area. The Afghan Council in Islamabad confirmed that police have detained large numbers of Afghan nationals over the past 11 days, primarily in neighbourhoods with high migrant populations.
Videos circulating on social media show children crying as police detain their mothers and family members. Despite the pleas, officers continued the arrests without interruption.
Refugee Rights Watch called the footage of Afghan women and young girls being detained in Pakistan deeply disturbing and said such treatment violates basic human dignity.
The visa renewal process for Afghan migrants has been suspended for nearly three weeks. Since the halt, police operations targeting undocumented Afghans have escalated significantly.
