Afghan migrants temporarily banned from entering Peshawar, Pakistan

Authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have announced a temporary ban on the entry of Afghan migrants into Peshawar.

Sarmad Saleem Akram, the police chief of Peshawar, stated in a notice that these restrictions are due to the upcoming Arbaeen ceremonies and “significant threats.”

The notice indicates that Afghan migrants must remain outside their camps from August 24 to August 30.

The Arbaeen ceremonies begin on Monday, August 26, and will continue for six days.

Ashura and Arbaeen are annually held in Pakistan with stringent security measures.

This comes amid a recent surge in insecurity in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

In the latest incident, Pakistani police and officials reported that unidentified gunmen shot 23 passengers in the Muskhail area of Balochistan.

The restriction on Afghan migrants entering Peshawar comes at a time when Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are planned in Afghanistan and carried out by Afghans—an assertion consistently denied by the Taliban officials.

Previously, many Afghan migrants in Iran and Pakistan were detained and deported due to alleged lack of “residency documents.”

The temporary ban on Afghan migrants in Peshawar reflects the heightened security measures surrounding the Arbaeen ceremonies. Regional instability and security concerns continue to impact migrants’ lives and complicate cross-border relations. Ensuring the safety of all residents while addressing migration and security issues remains a challenging task for authorities in the region.

The post Afghan migrants temporarily banned from entering Peshawar, Pakistan appeared first on Khaama Press.