Pakistan has ordered the immediate closure of all Afghan refugee camps in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, instructing residents to leave the country and return to Afghanistan, local media reported.

According to Pakistani news outlets, camps in several districts including Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Mansehra have been shut down. Camps in Charsadda and Malakand have also been closed.

In an official directive, the federal government ordered provincial authorities to transfer the land used for the camps to state ownership and prevent the re-establishment of any refugee settlements in those areas.

The Express Tribune reported that Punjab province has simultaneously launched the third phase of its nationwide campaign to identify and deport “illegal” foreign nationals. Officials are tracking Afghan citizens who lack valid documents or whose residence permits have expired for more than a year.

The move marks another escalation in Pakistan’s deteriorating relations with the Taliban, following recent cross-border clashes and military tensions between the two sides.