WATCH | WHY IS PAKISTAN DEPORTING AFGHAN MIGRANTS?

Tue 14 July 2026:

With the passing of another government deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave, Pakistan has launched a new crackdown on thousands still living in the country.

In response to criticism, authorities say they are enforcing immigration laws and cite national security concerns.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have returned to a country they fled. The UN says they include undocumented migrants, refugees and Afghan citizen card holders.

The campaign has coincided with rising political tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. But is politics involved in the rising tension between the neighbours? And how is Kabul dealing with the influx of returnees?

Presenter: Scott McLean
Guests:
Obaidullah Baheer — Adjunct lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan
Kamran Bokhari — Senior Fellow with the Middle East Policy Council in Washington DC
Zahid Mahmood — Pakistani defence analyst and former senior officer of the Pakistan Army