Islamabad-Kabul tension: Pakistan demolishes 1200 houses in Karachi's Afghan camps

SSP-West Tariq Illahi Mastoi told Dawn that since the start of an operation from Oct 15, around 1,200 houses, out of over 3,000, had been demolished.

He told the newspaper that 14,000 Afghans have already left the camps.

He said the operation is expected to be completed in the upcoming days.

He said intially the police faced obstruction from the land mafia but later the operation was conducted smoothly.

SSP Mastoi told the newspaper the operation was started as per the policy of the federal government because certain elements were trying to illegally occupy land, which triggered fears of the breach of peace.

The land belongs to the Malir Development Authority.

According to local media reports, around 15,680 Afghans were previously living in the camp.

14,296 have returned to their country so far.

The remaining 1,384 are currently in the camps and are expected to be repatriated soon.

The operation in Karachi occured at a time when Pakistan is carrying out nationwide campaign to expel undocumented Afghan nationals.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following over a week of cross-border fighting that killed dozens and injured hundreds, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced Sunday, media reports said.

The agreement was reached after talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, aimed at ending one of the deadliest crises between the two neighbors in years.

According to the Qatari statement, both sides will establish mechanisms to maintain peace and stability and hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the ceasefire endures.

The truce comes after Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province late Friday, just hours after a 48-hour ceasefire expired.

Islamabad said the strikes targeted hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group in retaliation for a suicide bombing at a security compound in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistani officials claimed the raids killed “dozens of armed fighters” with no civilian casualties.

However, Afghan authorities reported at least 10 civilian deaths, including women, children, and several cricketers, sparking outrage and a boycott of an upcoming cricket series in Pakistan.