Afghan migrants allege abuse as deportations rise

Afghan migrants deported during Pakistan’s ongoing expulsion drive have alleged harassment, extortion, and inhumane treatment. Despite valid documents, many were forced out. The UNHCR reports over 1.2 million returnees and warns of urgent humanitarian needs across Afghan provinces.

Kabul: Afghan migrants have shared their agony following their expulsion from Pakistan, as Islamabad accelerated the third phase of the forced deportation. They said that they were “humiliated” and asserted that the Pakistani officials also demanded money from them in return for their documents.

The deportation process intensified in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after it was implemented in Sindh and Punjab provinces during the third phase.

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“All provincial governments are instructed that from now on, the presence of Afghan nationals without valid visas and passports in Pakistan is illegal, and they must be arrested and deported,” Afghanistan-based Tolo News quoted Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior as saying.

Temporary Omari camp in Torkham township, Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal, stated that arrangements have been made for the returnees, and all committees are providing services efficiently. “Organised arrangements have been made for the returnees. All committees are providing services efficiently. The transport committee covers travel expenses and ensures they reach their respective provinces,” he said.

According to Hashim Maiwandwal, the health committee has created clinics for treatment, and the temporary housing committee has set up tents for their stay. “The finance committee provides them with 8,000 to 10,000 Afghanis. The health committee has set up clinics for treatment, and the temporary housing committee has installed tents for their accommodation,” he added.

Meanwhile, several Afghan families who had valid Proof of Registration (PoR) cards have shared painful experiences with the local media regarding mistreatment by Pakistani officials at the Torkham migrant camp. Ziaul Haq, one of the deportees, expressed happiness on returning to Afghanistan and said that Afghan refugees are humiliated in Pakistan. “We were pleased to return to our homeland. This is our land. In Pakistan, Afghan refugees are treated with no dignity and are humiliated,” he said.

Another deportee, Hedayatullah, described his experience of facing mistreatment in Pakistan, stating, “I got a call from home saying to come quickly because our belongings had been packed. We were treated very badly there, despite having PoR cards and legal documents.”

Inzamamul Haq, a 28-year-old resident of Kunar province, who was recently deported along with his family from Punjab after residing in Pakistan for 40 years, said, “When we reached the checkpoint, they demanded 200,000 Pakistani rupees. They gave us two days, took our documents, and when our vehicle arrived, they took the money, returned our documents, and deported us.”

A recent report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has revealed that nearly 1.2 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan since September 2023. In the report, the UNHCR noted that many of the Afghans who have returned face dire conditions and called for urgent aid to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Women and girls make up about half of those receiving aid, while roughly 2.2 per cent of all returnees are specially-abled people, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported, citing the UNHCR report, which was released on Thursday.

The agency stated that more than 315,000 Afghans came back to Afghanistan in 2025 alone, including 51,000 who were forcibly deported by Pakistani authorities. Increasing political and security pressures in Pakistan pose a threat to the status of over two million Afghan refugees who have lived there for decades.