Nearly 2,500 more Afghans deported via Torkham

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Nearly 2,500 more Afghan citizens have returned from Pakistan to their country via the Torkham crossing, a Landikotal-based official says.

About 470 families were repatriated on Tuesday as Pakistan pushed ahead with the campaign to deport undocumented migrants, including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders.

The repatriation drive follows the expiration of the March 31 deadline for all unregistered foreigners, particularly Afghans to leave Pakistan voluntarily or face forcible expulsion.

Dawn quoted local officials as putting the estimated number of returnees this month at nearly 20,000.

Returning families encountered problems transporting their belongings, paying high costs and facing inordinate delays in customs clearace, the newspaper reported.

In the garrison town of Rawalpindi, 1,040 Afghans were moved to a refugee camp at Golra Mor on Tuesday, but 15 of them managed to escape.

Those brought to the centre included 588 males, 100 females and 253 children. At least 964 of them were deported.

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