October 15th 2025.
In Karachi, a heated clash broke out between protestors and police during a demolition and clean-up operation by Pakistani authorities in the Afghan Basti, a refugee camp located on the outskirts of the city. This incident occurred on Wednesday and resulted in a few people sustaining injuries.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police West, Tariq Mastoi, the operation was initiated because around 8000 Afghan residents had recently returned to their home country, leaving behind concrete structures such as homes and shops. These structures were quickly being taken over by land grabbers, prompting the authorities to take action.
Mastoi clarified that the demolition drive only caused minor skirmishes, which were primarily fueled by rumors. He explained, "Some miscreants spread false information that the Afghans who still had legal documents would be targeted, but once we clarified our objective, the situation calmed down." He further stated that only a few individuals were injured during the clashes.
The SSP emphasized that the refugee camp was established on a 200-acre government land nearly 40 years ago, and the authorities were simply reclaiming the state land by demolishing the structures. He revealed that over the course of four decades, around 15,000 Afghans had built 3000-3500 concrete structures in the camp, and half of them had already returned home. The operation was expected to be completed in 2-3 days, after which the government would decide what to do with the land.
Mastoi acknowledged that for many years, the Afghan residents in the camp had been treated with respect and given the freedom to work. He also praised Pakistan for being a gracious host. However, the decision to send illegal Afghans back home had now made it necessary to recover state land. This development comes at a time when Pakistan is involved in a military conflict with Afghanistan. Civil and human rights activists and organizations have raised concerns about the timing of the demolition drive, especially since thousands of Afghans have already returned to their home country.
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