KABUL (SW) – Pakistani media, citing government officials, have reported that from July 21, to August 17, 2024, Pakistan expelled 32,200 Afghan citizens.
According to a report from Pakistan’s state radio and television, as of Sunday, August 18, approximately 700,000 Afghan nationals have been sent back to their home country since the start of the forced deportation process.
The report noted that “a total of 691,853 Afghan refugees have been returned to their country. The voluntary return of Afghans to their homeland is commendable and will yield positive outcomes for both countries.”
The Pakistani government has emphasized that the deportation of Afghan migrants will continue.
On the other hand, some returnees from Pakistan have complained about lack of shelter, inability to meet their basic needs, and absence of job opportunities.
Ahmad Shah, a resident of Laghman who was returned from Pakistan five months ago, explains about suffering from depression due to his inability to support his family of ten. He says, “No one has helped us so far; we live with ten people in one house, there is no work, and I cannot provide for their needs, making life very difficult.”
Hazrat Wali, a resident of Nangarhar, was expelled from Pakistan eight months ago and has been unable to find work since his return. He says, “We received help at the Torkham border, but no further assistance has been provided. There are no jobs, and I return home empty-handed every day, unable to find work.”
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Repatriations and Refugees (MoRR), nearly 1.7 million Afghan citizens have returned from Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and other countries over the past year.
Prior to the start of the forced deportation process by Pakistan, more than four million Afghan migrants and refugees were living in the country, with around 1.7 million of them lacking legal documentation, according to the Pakistani government.
