Karachi police have sounded the alarm over potential land grabbing in the Afghan Basti area following the repatriation of thousands of Afghan nationals. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) West, Irfan Baloch, warned in a letter that the land mafia could target over 3,000 vacated houses and plots in the Afghan Camp under Gulshan-e-Maymar police station jurisdiction. The area once housed around 15,000 Afghans, but most have been deported amid Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown, leaving only about 1,500 residents.
Baloch urged forming a joint committee with the Malir Development Authority (MDA), deputy commissioner’s office, and police to survey and secure the land immediately. This comes as over 860,000 Afghans have been repatriated since late 2023, with weekly detentions in Karachi focusing on low-income laborers. Human rights groups decry the moves, highlighting vulnerabilities, while locals fear the power vacuum will invite encroachments, exacerbating Karachi’s chronic land mafia issues. Authorities vow swift action to prevent disputes.
