The Rawalpindi police, after facing criticism over poor performance, have formed a special task force capable of detaining Afghan nationals living illegally in the district and transferring them daily to holding centres for repatriation.

According to official sources, the task force consists of 13 special teams. Each team includes four police personnel, an intelligence constable, and one officer each from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the Security Branch, and the Special Branch.

The teams are led by several key officers, including Muhammad Saifullah (Pirwadhai Police Station), Waqar Haider (Ratta Amral), Shafiq-ul-Hasnain (Taxila), Gulzar Hussain (Wah Cantt), Muhammad Faizan (Dhamial), and Yasir Iqbal (Chountra).

As instructed by the Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations), all team in-charges must submit their daily reports on the arrest of illegal Afghan nationals to the chief security officer of their respective divisions by 9 p.m. Police clerks have also been directed not to assign any additional duties to members of these special units.

During the past two days, the Rawalpindi police, along with the Special Branch, CTD, and City Traffic Police, conducted search and strike operations, detaining 92 undocumented Afghan nationals.

Cases have also been registered against eight homeowners and tenants who failed to register their tenancy information with the local police station.

On Friday, police searched 1,123 houses, 336 shops, 49 hotels, and two inns in various areas, checking the details of a total of 1,524 individuals. The purpose of these operations was to maintain law and order and curb criminal activity.