KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Food Programme (WFP) is calling for $25 million in urgent funding to support Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mutinta Chimuka, WFP’s representative in Afghanistan, highlighted the dire situation at the Torkham border, where thousands of refugees are returning daily with almost nothing.
“Many of these people have lived in Pakistan all their lives and do not know Afghanistan and they are being forced to return with almost nothing,” Chimuka said. She added that many returnees have no income, no job, no food, and no place to go.
The situation in Afghanistan is already dire, with more than half of the population reliant on aid. One in three people in the country is uncertain about where their next meal will come from.
“WFP is here to help those returning from Pakistan, but we need more resources,” she said. “We urgently need $25 million until the end of the year to help them rebuild their lives.”
The forced deportations of Afghan migrants from Pakistan have intensified in recent weeks. Since April 1, more than 100,000 Afghans have been expelled. Since November 2023, over 900,000 Afghans have been deported from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the mass deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran continues, with thousands returning daily. Over one million Afghans have been expelled from Iran over the past year.
Humanitarian organizations warn that those returning to Afghanistan face a worsening situation, as the country struggles with poverty and a severe human rights crisis under Taliban rule. With international funding declining, many returnees face an uncertain future.
