By Mehran Afridi 

Afghan refugee Bilal's family has lived in Pakistan for nearly 50 years, but today he remains confined to his home due to fear of arrest. While the government continues the repatriation of Afghan refugees, Bilal and many others say they only seek enough time to wrap up decades of their lives, businesses, and family affairs before returning to Afghanistan with dignity.

Bilal, a 28-year-old Afghan refugee living in Wazir Dhand, a locality in Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, says he has hardly left his home since after Eid due to the current situation. According to him, after the July 10 deadline was announced, it became nearly impossible for him to move around freely.

Speaking to TNN, Bilal appealed to the Government of Pakistan to grant Afghan refugees sufficient time to settle their businesses, financial obligations, and family responsibilities before returning to their homeland.

According to Bilal, his family has been living in Pakistan for the past four to five decades, during which their lives, livelihoods, and social networks have become deeply rooted in the country.

He says the bicycle business he built over many years in Peshawar's bicycle market cannot be shut down within a few days.

"I need time to clear my shop, settle outstanding payments, and complete other financial matters. If I have to leave suddenly, it will create difficulties not only for me but also for the people with whom I still have pending financial dealings."

Bilal added that if the Pakistani government grants Afghan traders more time, they will be able to complete all legal and financial formalities and return to Afghanistan peacefully.

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According to him, around 100 to 150 members of his extended family currently live in Pakistan, while many Afghan families have also established family ties and marriages with Pakistani citizens.

"Our younger generation has spent their entire lives in Pakistan. Their friends, education, jobs, and social connections are all here. Returning is not just a journey—it means changing our entire lives."

Bilal says his ancestral home is in Kot district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, but he himself has never lived there permanently. Although the family owns land there, they have neither a house to live in nor any source of livelihood or business.

"We will have to start everything from scratch there, and that will not be easy."

He says that given the current situation, his family has already begun preparing to return to Afghanistan and has started packing their belongings.

Meanwhile, SSP Operations Peshawar Farhan Khan said that foreigners whose visas have expired or who do not possess valid legal documents to stay in Pakistan are being repatriated in accordance with the government's policy.

According to him, after being taken into custody, such individuals are shifted to the Nasir Bagh Holding Centre in Peshawar, where NADRA and other relevant authorities complete their registration process. They are then escorted by police to Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing.

Farhan Khan said that foreigners who have legal family ties with Pakistani citizens—for example, those whose spouses are Pakistani nationals—are not currently being deported. However, action against other undocumented foreigners continues.

He added that police have been instructed to treat all individuals transferred to the holding centre with dignity and respect.

According to him, bribery, mistreatment, or harassment is unacceptable under any circumstances, and so far no complaints have been received. He also said that foreigners have been provided with police helpline numbers and contact details of the relevant authorities to lodge complaints if needed.

The SSP Operations further said that all 34 police stations in Peshawar are participating in the operation, with police and revenue officials conducting joint enforcement activities.