Pakistan's Mass Deportation of Afghan Refugees Escalates Amid Deadline

Pakistan has intensified efforts to deport undocumented Afghans, with concerns raised by Taliban officials about the humanitarian impact and national security implications. Thousands face uncertain futures as they return to Afghanistan, straining the country's already fragile infrastructure.

Pakistan has stepped up its campaign to expel Afghan refugees, with over 19,500 individuals deported in just the current month according to reports from the UN. This effort is part of a broader initiative that has seen more than 80,000 Afghans leave Pakistan before a set deadline of April 30. The authorities argue that the influx of refugees is unsustainable, claiming they can no longer provide adequate services.

Daily deportations are averaging between 700 and 800 families, and Taliban officials suggest that up to two million Afghans could subsequently be expelled in the coming months. Concern has been voiced by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a recent visit to Kabul to meet with his Taliban counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who expressed his “deep concern” over the situation.

Many of those facing deportation are second-generation refugees who have never lived in Afghanistan. One such deportee, Sayed Rahman, was born and raised in Pakistan. “I got married there. What am I supposed to do now?” he lamented. Others expressed fears for their children's futures, particularly regarding education, as girls over 12 are currently barred from attending school in Afghanistan, a stark contrast to their educational experiences in Pakistan.

The border crossing at Torkham has become a site of desperation, where individuals are being monitored by armed guards and separated by gender. Many deported were elderly, with some assisted across the border on stretchers. Upon their return to Afghanistan, they are placed in temporary shelters awaiting further transportation to their home regions, with limited supplies exacerbating tensions among those waiting.

Returnees are receiving between 4,000 and 10,000 Afghanis as assistance from the Taliban authorities, but this is critiqued as insufficient given the looming humanitarian crisis. Afghan officials acknowledge the influx is straining an already fragile economy in a country nearing a population of 45 million.

The mass deportations have raised numerous issues of concern, including the limited ability for individuals to retrieve their personal belongings from Pakistan, causing additional stress for families already in distress. One father shared with media how his children, born in Pakistan, desperately wanted to stay, now facing the grim reality of their situation after their residency expired.

As the Afghan population awaits enforcement of the April 30 deadline, the repercussions of these mass deportations will undoubtedly reverberate throughout both nations.