The prices of properties and house rent came down in Peshawar city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Afghan nationals in Pakistan began selling their properties.

Around 54 Afghan families have left Pakistan while others are gearing up to sell their belongings before returning to their country, resulting in ease in prices of electronics and lowering house rent in several cities of KP, a local newspaper reported.

It is pertinent to mention that the caretaker government of KP constituted committees to carry out geofencing of businesses owned by Afghan nationals and to locate the residences of Afghan nationals illegally living in the country.

A provincial implementation committee was constituted in this regard under the chair of the interior secretary of KP which will also include the inspector general of KP among other high-ranking officials, sources said.

As Pakistan intensified action against illegal immigrants living in the country, at least 16 trucks, having 30 Afghan families aboard, arrived at the Torkham border in the Khyber district of KP on September 5, the Commissionerate Afghan Refugees said.

Read: Majority of Afghan nationals settled in KP have legal documents

The returning Afghan families comprise 350 people, the authority said, adding that they would be allowed to return after legal formalities.

Pakistan has set a deadline of November 1 for all illegal refugees to sell their properties and leave the country. After the deadline, all illegal journalists would be deported. Operations have begun rounding up Afghan refugees in many cities including Islamabad, Sindh, and KP already.