The crackdown on illegally residing Afghan nationals and other foreigners continued across Rawalpindi, with authorities registering 63 cases so far.

The police have arrested 18 landlords for renting out properties to Afghan nationals without legal documents, along with 216 Afghan citizens, who have been shifted to holding centres.

Meanwhile, the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan to Afghanistan has gained momentum, with 5,220 Afghan nationals returning via the Torkham border on Saturday, bringing the total number of returnees to over 828,000 since the process began.

According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department, those who crossed back into Afghanistan on Saturday included 5,220 Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders, 401 Afghan Citizen Card holders, and 2,314 undocumented individuals.

Officials said a significant number of Afghan nationals have also been repatriated from other provinces.

Reports indicate that 25,392 undocumented individuals, 9,620 Afghan Citizen Card holders, and 1,498 PoR card holders have returned to Afghanistan so far.

The Home Department added that 19 Afghan nationals were deported from various transit points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, while 7,261 foreign nationals have already been repatriated from jails in Peshawar, Landi Kotal, and Kohat.

Additionally, 1,326 Afghan citizens were temporarily housed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before being sent back across the border.

Authorities said additional staff has been deployed at border crossings to facilitate the safe and swift return of refugees.

In Rawalpindi, the district administration and police have expanded the crackdown on illegal Afghan residents and other foreigners.

According to a police spokesperson, 63 FIRs have been registered in various police stations in this regard.

Law enforcement officials reiterated that a zero-tolerance policy is being enforced against illegal foreign nationals.

Property owners have been warned not to rent out accommodation to foreigners without valid identification documents.

Police officials said the measures were essential to maintain the city’s security situation, and the identification and arrest of undocumented foreign nationals would continue with full intensity.