CHITRAL, Oct 6, 2025: In line with the federal government’s repatriation plan for Afghan nationals, 42 families residing in the Kesu refugee camp have been repatriated to Afghanistan, marking the closure of one of the oldest and most established refugee settlements in Lower Chitral.
The families, many of whom had been living in the camp for several decades, departed on Sunday amid arrangements made by the district administration. To facilitate their return, the administration provided 11 trucks and a passenger coach, which carried the refugees along with their personal belongings to the Torkham border, from where they will continue onward to their hometowns in Afghanistan.
The repatriation process was supervised by Assistant Commissioner Drosh Muhammad Ali, while prominent local elders of Drosh were present on the occasion to bid farewell to the departing families.
Speaking to the media, the elders acknowledged the Afghan refugees’ peaceful presence in the region and commended their contributions to the local community over the years, describing their departure as the end of a significant chapter in Chitral’s recent history.
Representatives of the Afghan refugees expressed deep appreciation for the hospitality and support extended to them by the people and government of Pakistan during their long stay.
“Chitral has been our home, and we are leaving it with heavy hearts. The warmth and kindness we experienced here will always remain in our memories,” they said.
As part of the broader repatriation initiative, the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees has begun closing multiple refugee camps across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and handing over their physical infrastructure and assets to local administrations. The Kesu camp is among the latest to be formally closed, following decades of functioning as a shelter for Afghan families.
Meanwhile, the repatriation process from the Kalkatak refugee camp is also progressing, with officials expecting both Kesu and Kalkatak camps to be completely vacated in the coming days, in line with the government’s timeline for the relocation of Afghan nationals.