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Pakistan has deported over 19,500 Afghans this month as part of a broader trend that has seen more than 80,000 individuals leave ahead of an April 30 deadline, according to the United Nations.

The government has intensified its efforts to expel undocumented Afghans and those with temporary residency permits, citing capacity issues. Currently, 700 to 800 families are being deported daily, BBC reported.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently visited Kabul to discuss the deportations, which Afghan officials expressed concern over. Many deported Afghans report having been born in Pakistan, with the UN estimating 3.5 mn Afghans reside in Pakistan, including around 700,000 who arrived post-2021 Taliban takeover, half of whom are undocumented.

As stated by BBC, the situation has also led to increased border tensions, with clashes between security forces attributed to militants based in Afghanistan—a claim the Taliban denies. These mass deportations are straining Afghanistan's fragile infrastructure amid ongoing economic challenges.

Kamala Panthi has been elected as the Chairperson of Sancharika Samuha, an association of women journalists in the country.

The ninth general convention of the Samuha held on Friday elected Panthi to the post.

Likewise, Basanti Bastola was elected Vice Chair, Radha Khanal General Secretary (unanimous), Urvashi Basnyat Secretary and Sajna Tamang as the Treasurer of the new working committee.

Similarly, those elected as members include Kalpana Sharma, Bishnu Panthi, Devi Sapkota, Ajabi Poudel, Kalika Shiwakoti, Samjhana Ban, Tara Chapagain, and Deepa Regmi.

There is a possibility of heavy rainfall in one or two places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today.

This is due to the influence of local winds and westerly winds, says the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

At present, light rainfall with thunder and lightning is occurring in one or two places of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces.

The weather is partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces and mainly clear to partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

Tonight, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces and mainly clear to partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning in few places in Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and in one or two places in the hilly areas of Karnali Province. There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous areas of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces..

The number of people found dead after a boat accident in Congo has risen to 148, Sky News reported on Friday, citing officials.

Officials said hundreds are still missing after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized on Tuesday in the Congo River, the report added.

Reuters