Surge of Afghan Migrants Returning Home Amid Pakistan’s Expulsion Policy

The Taliban government has reported that in just one day, 2,346 Afghan migrants returned from Pakistan, along with nearly 500 individuals coming from Iran. This announcement comes as Pakistan continues its policy of expelling undocumented migrants, raising concerns among international organizations regarding the plight of Afghan refugees…

 

Recently, the Taliban government announced that 2,346 Afghan migrants have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan. According to Taliban officials, a significant number of these individuals crossed into the country via the Torkham border crossing.

Majority Returning via Torkham

Hamidullah Fatret, the deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, stated on his social media account yesterday that of the returning migrants, over two thousand entered Afghanistan through the Torkham border.

He also mentioned that during the same period, nearly 500 Afghan migrants returned from Iran.

Continued Expulsions from Pakistan

This statistic is released alongside Pakistan’s ongoing effort to expel undocumented Afghan migrants, which began in earnest on July 10.

In recent weeks, tens of thousands of Afghan migrants have been sent back to Afghanistan from Pakistan, with reports indicating increasing pressure on these migrants in various Pakistani cities.

Concerns from International Organizations

Several Afghan migrants in Pakistan have previously expressed to the media their fears of arrest, job loss, and forced expulsion.

Additionally, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported that Afghan migrants in Pakistan are living under difficult conditions, plagued by fears of detention and deportation.

The international organization has urged the Pakistani government to halt the expulsion process and to provide support for these individuals.