KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that over 733,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan since the country began its crackdown on illegal foreign nationals last year.
In its recent report, UNHCR noted that the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan peaked in May and June, with nearly 38,000 returning each month.
According to the report, over 6,000 Afghan refugees have been arrested or detained in Pakistan this year as part of the crackdown, with the highest number recorded in May, when 1,130 were arrested.
UNHCR says that it has provided assistance to nearly 112,000 returnees as part of its efforts to support those affected by Pakistan’s deportation campaign.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, fleeing conflict, persecution, and unemployment in their homeland. According to the UN, there are currently 3.2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, with 1.3 million registered and approximately 880,000 holding other legal statuses that permit them to stay in the country.
In November of last year, Pakistan launched a crackdown on foreign nationals residing in the country without legal documentation, describing the move as a counter-terrorism measure in response to a recent surge in security incidents.
The crackdown primarily targeted around 1.7 million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers without legal documentation.
Since then, thousands of Afghan refugees, mostly women and children, have been deported to Afghanistan, now under Taliban rule. Many of them initially fled due to fear of Taliban retaliation.
According to the UNHCR report, among those repatriated are individuals holding documents such as PoR cards, UNHCR slips, and asylum certificates.
Upon their return, Afghans face dire economic, humanitarian, and health challenges, worsened by the Taliban’s resurgence and recent natural disasters. The UN reports that over 23 million people, including more than 9 million children, depend on humanitarian assistance this year.
