PESHAWAR: In a significant step under its Afghan repatriation policy, the federal government of Pakistan has ordered the closure of five Afghan refugee camps located across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
An official notification released by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan, and States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) confirmed the decision on Friday. According to the directive, three camps in Haripur district, along with one each in Chitral and Upper Dir, have been officially decommissioned. The land occupied by these camps will now be handed over to the provincial administration and local authorities.
Among the closed sites is the well-known Panyan camp in Haripur one of the oldest and most populated Afghan refugee settlements in Pakistan which, according to sources, had accommodated over 100,000 refugees for nearly four decades.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has long been the primary host for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. UNHCR data consistently identifies the province as the largest hub for displaced Afghans, making the closure of these camps a move with potentially far-reaching humanitarian consequences.
The decision has sparked political criticism, particularly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. He has strongly opposed the camp closures and warned against any forced return of Afghan refugees. Gandapur emphasized the need for a humane and historically sensitive approach, given the deep-rooted cultural and ethnic ties between the people of KP and Afghanistan.
The federal government has yet to outline specific plans for the relocation or repatriation of those affected.
