40,000 Afghan refugees leave Quetta amid Pakistan’s ongoing deportation camp

More than two years after Pakistan started a crackdown against Afghan nationals, nearly 40,000 of them have left Balochistan capital Quetta, a top provincial official has said.

Since October 2023, when Pakistan asked all the foreign nationals, including Afghan illegal immigrants, to leave voluntarily or face



deportation, the deadline has been extended multiple times.

Pakistan hosts over 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees, with many more living without documentation. The government recently launched yet another repatriation drive, citing security and economic concerns, prompting thousands of Afghans to return to their home country.