PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has approved the partial reopening of the Torkham border to facilitate the phased return of Afghan refugees residing in the province.
The first stage of the repatriation process will focus on Afghan nationals currently held in Pakistani prisons.
According to police and government sources, the border will only be opened for designated convoys, and the return process will be implemented in multiple phases.
The initial stage will involve transferring prisoners from central jails to the Nasir Bagh Refugee Camp, where registration procedures will be completed before their departure to Afghanistan.
The Department of Interior reported that over 1,000 Afghan detainees are held at Peshawar Central Jail, while approximately 1,200 are in the jails of Kohat and Haripur, with daily maintenance costs running into millions of rupees. Officials cited the increasing number of prisoners, the frequent arrival of family members, and security concerns as the primary reasons for the decision to expedite returns.
Security measures will be strictly enforced during the transfers. Police from Jumrood to the Torkham border will provide full protection to the convoys, ensuring a safe and orderly movement of refugees.
The second phase will involve Afghan residents living in refugee camps, while the third phase will focus on undocumented Afghan migrants residing in various cities across the province.
