KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistan deported 6,148 Afghan refugees on Sunday, marking one of the highest daily figures in recent months, as authorities intensified a nationwide crackdown on undocumented Afghans amid strained relations with the Taliban.
A Taliban-run commission for refugee affairs said the returnees crossed into Afghanistan through the Torkham crossing in eastern Nangarhar province and the Spin Boldak crossing in southern Kandahar, two of the main transit points for deportations.
The commission also reported that 471 Afghans were returned from Iran the same day via the Islam Qala crossing in Herat province and the Pul-e-Abrisham crossing in Nimroz province.
Deportations from Pakistan have increased in recent weeks, with authorities carrying out expanded raids, detentions and expulsions targeting undocumented Afghans. More than 5,400 Afghans were deported on Saturday, and over 4,000 the day before, mostly from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, according to Taliban figures.
Border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain largely restricted to returning migrants, with other forms of movement suspended for about six months amid deteriorating political and security relations between the Taliban and Islamabad.
The Taliban-run commission said it has registered returning migrants and provided initial assistance at border points. However, humanitarian agencies operating in border provinces have reported ongoing pressure on reception facilities, particularly in Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, and Nimroz, where daily arrivals remain high.
According to United Nations data, at least 150,000 Afghans have been deported or returned voluntarily from Pakistan and Iran over the past three months, while approximately 2.9 million Afghans have returned over the past year. Aid groups say many returnees arrive with limited resources after being detained or deported, increasing immediate needs for shelter, food and medical support.
Human rights organizations and international aid agencies have repeatedly urged Pakistan and Iran to halt forced returns, warning that the scale of deportations is adding pressure to Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian situation. The UN estimates that nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance this year, while women and minorities continue to face restrictions on basic rights and access to services.
