KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that 8,025 Afghan refugees have been deported from Pakistan over the past two days.
In a statement posted on X on April 7, the IOM said the deportees include both undocumented individuals and holders of the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC).
The organization noted a sharp rise in deportations following the expiration of Pakistan’s deadline for Afghan refugees on March 31.
It added that it has provided humanitarian assistance to 2,614 returnees at the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossings.
The IOM stressed the urgent need for additional funding to meet the growing needs of deported refugees.
Pakistan had ordered Afghan refugees to leave the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by the end of March.
Since the first wave of deportations in November 2023, more than 845,000 Afghans have either been deported or returned voluntarily from Pakistan, according to the IOM.
International human rights groups have condemned the deportations as a violation of human rights and have called on the Pakistani government to halt the process.
