KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations is calling for over $400 million to support Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan in 2025, most of whom are arriving in desperate conditions.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said $64 million is needed for emergency assistance at the border, while a further $350 million is required to help 600,000 returnees and affected communities rebuild their lives.
The funding is part of the “Integrated Response Plan for Afghan Returnees from Pakistan,” developed by the UN and humanitarian agencies to respond to the growing crisis of Afghan returnees.
“We urge donors to invest not only in emergency assistance but also in long-term capacity-building to help break the cycle of displacement and instability,” UNAMA said.
Forced deportations of Afghan refugees from Pakistan have surged in recent months, with thousands returning each day to a country facing a worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis.
Since the launch of Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan” in November 2023, nearly one million Afghan refugees have been returned or deported. In April alone, over 140,000 Afghans were sent back.
Returnees often arrive with little or nothing and face severe challenges reintegrating into communities already under strain.
Despite increasing calls from the UN and rights groups to end deportations, Islamabad has yet to show any sign of reversing its policies or halting the forced removals.
