Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has stirred controversy by openly challenging the federal government’s decision to expel Afghan refugees from Pakistan. His stance has raised serious questions—Is he defending Pakistan’s interests, or backing Afghanistan, whose soil continues to support terrorists attacking Pakistan?
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, Gandapur slammed Islamabad’s policy on Afghan refugees. “The federal policy is flawed,” he said. “Past approaches violated basic human rights.” He strongly opposed any forced deportation of undocumented Afghans.
The federal government earlier issued a deadline of March 31, asking all “illegal foreigners” and Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave Pakistan. But CM Gandapur disagreed, stating that those Afghan migrants who have no criminal background should be allowed to stay.
“Why deport people who follow the law?” he asked. “Those who wish to become citizens should be granted Pakistani nationality.” His repeated defense of Afghan refugees has sparked debate, especially when Afghan nationals are linked with terror activities.
Islamabad has often blamed Afghan immigrants for crimes and militant attacks in the country. In fact, the recent attack on the Jaffer Express train in Balochistan once again highlighted how terrorists, many with Afghan ties, continue to target innocent Pakistanis.
Pakistan launched a nationwide repatriation campaign in 2023. The aim was to remove undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghan refugees. Since then, over 800,000 Afghans have returned to their country, according to the United Nations. Still, Pakistan hosts around 2.1 million documented Afghans, with hundreds of thousands more staying illegally for decades.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to the highest number of Afghan migrants. Peshawar alone has the largest Afghan population in any city of Pakistan. Many of them run businesses or work jobs in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
CM Gandapur, however, continues to support them. He claimed, “I’ve always spoken for Afghans who obey the law. They have lived among us for years and deserve respect.”
His repeated endorsements of Afghan refugees come at a time when Pakistan faces rising terrorism. Gandapur blamed the federal government for neglecting national security. “When the state focused on crushing one political party, it ignored real threats. That’s why terrorism is rising again,” he said.
Critics argue that while Pakistan suffers from attacks carried out by terrorists backed by TTP from Afghan soil, CM Gandapur is defending those very Afghan nationals whose presence poses risks. The Afghan government, meanwhile, provides safe haven to anti-Pakistan elements. This includes TTP, which continues to launch attacks from across the border.
Gandapur further criticized the federal government for not approving terms of reference his government sent to start talks with Afghanistan on cross-border terrorism. “Two months have passed, but the Centre has done nothing,” he complained.
He also praised provincial police efforts to fight terrorism. “They are doing everything to defend our borders,” he said. But he added, “Police haven’t received new weapons in ten years. How can they fight well-equipped militants?”
Gandapur also warned the Centre to release Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s fair share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. “If not, we will protest. If they lack funds, they should sit with us and talk.”
Despite all this, his continued sympathy for Afghan refugees remains questionable. At a time when Afghan-based terrorists are killing Pakistanis and the Afghan regime shelters TTP, Gandapur’s statements raise a serious concern. Is he standing with Pakistan, or supporting the interests of a neighboring country that shelters enemies of the state?
