The Afghan camp was established in 1984 on more than 200 acres of government-owned land, containing approximately 3,000 housing units.
MDA officials started demolishing houses after thousands of Afghan nationals were repatriated from the Afghan camp in Karachi on October 15. Photo: INP
As tensions between the neighboring countries escalate, land grabbers have moved quickly to occupy the homes and shops of Afghan nationals repatriated from the Gulshan-e-Maymar Afghan refugee camp in Karachi.
The families left urgently, triggering a vast anti-encroachment operation. The repatriation of Afghan refugees from the camp led to a clash when squatters, accompanied by women and children, began to move into the vacated houses.
The operation, launched by various civil and police agencies, turned violent when the illegal occupants resisted and attacked the police with stones. In response, authorities used baton blows and arrested several suspects.
During this day of operation, dozens of unoccupied houses were demolished. The operation was jointly carried out by the Malir Development Authority (MDA), Anti-Encroachment Department, police, Rangers, Deputy Commissioner (West) and revenue officials.
Land mafia takes over vacant houses
Witnesses reported that as Afghan families prepared to return to their home countries, organized land mafia groups and miscreants began to lay claim to the vacated homes.
These groups spray-painted property markings on walls and moved in with household items. In some areas, groups, including women and children, erected barriers to prevent police from entering, even lighting fires to deter demolition teams.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan families continued to load their belongings onto trucks bound for Afghanistan. Others were seen selling household items at rock-bottom prices, attracting large crowds of local shoppers. Workers were also seen extracting steel rods and materials from the demolished structures.
Joint operation to clear state lands
Authorities launched an operation early Wednesday morning, using heavy machinery to clear illegal construction on more than 200 acres of government-owned land. This land contains approximately 3,000 housing units. Officials said the operation would continue until all unauthorized structures were razed.
MDA Director of State and Enforcement Mohammad Farooq Bugti explained that the operation was part of a broader government policy related to the repatriation of Afghans.
“The Afghan camp was established in 1984 after the war. Today, under federal policy, Afghan nationals are being repatriated. More than 50 percent of the 3,000 houses have already been evacuated and the rest will be evacuated soon,” he said.
He stressed that land belongs to the state and must be returned to government control. “There were some clashes between police and land grabbers who were trying to create public disorder, but the joint forces acted quickly to restore control,” he added.
Law enforcement response
Tariq Elahi Mastoi of the Western SSP said the operation was in line with national policy. “For more than five decades, Pakistan has welcomed our Afghan brothers, sharing our homes, land and food,” he said. “Now, according to the new policy, they are being repatriated with dignity.”
Mastoi also mentioned that of the approximately 15,000 registered Afghan refugees who once lived in the camp, more than 8,000 have already returned to Afghanistan.
“The vacated houses are being demolished as they were built illegally on state land. No major protests have been reported as residents have been informed of this policy,” he added.
Shayan Anjum, head of the fight against western encroachment, said that once Afghan families started leaving, land mafia groups tried to take over. “They spray-painted the walls and tried to claim ownership. We received complaints on Tuesday evening and Wednesday at 6 a.m. the operation was underway,” he said.
He confirmed that more than 250 houses and permanent structures had been demolished so far. “There are approximately 1,300 Afghan residents remaining, awaiting verification or short-term extension,” he added. The land, which is part of MDA’s Taiser Town polling area, cannot be occupied by individuals.
“The situation was chaotic, with several groups sharing plots among themselves. However, the operation has re-established control and more demolitions will follow,” Anjum concluded.
As the state implements its repatriation policy and reclaims public land, Karachi’s decades-old Afghan refugee camp is rapidly emptying. Although around 1,300 Afghans remain in the area, authorities expect the camp to be completely emptied soon. This will mark the end of one of the city’s largest and oldest refugee communities.
