Afghan migrants returning from Pakistan say their belongings were confiscated by Pakistani police during forced deportations, adding to the hardship of an already traumatic journey.
Speaking at the Torkham border crossing, several returnees recounted that, despite holding legal documents such as visas or residency cards, they were detained and expelled from the country, and many lost personal property in the process.
Most of these migrants had lived in Pakistan for years. Now, they are returning to Afghanistan with little more than their children, exhausted after long journeys, and few possessions. “Our belongings were taken. We were treated unfairly,” one returning migrant said.
Thousands of others continue to arrive at the border each day, many in packed trucks filled with household items. Women and children wait in long lines, some after being detained for days. For many, forced deportation has replaced years of stability with fear and uncertainty.
The wave of deportations has drawn strong condemnation from the Taliban and international human rights organizations. Taliban officials held a meeting in response, describing Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan nationals as “un-Islamic and inhumane,” and called on Islamabad not to politicize the migration issue.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, said the deportations violate international principles and warned that continued actions of this nature could further strain relations between the two countries.
Amnesty International also warned of the consequences of Pakistan’s mass deportation campaign, which has already affected more than 800,000 Afghan nationals. The organization said those being forced to return face serious threats in Afghanistan, including women and girls, journalists, artists, activists, and former government employees—many of whom fled the country fearing Taliban reprisals.
According to Taliban officials in Karachi, between 2,000 to 3,000 Afghan migrants are being expelled daily through Torkham. The Taliban’s Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation has accused Pakistani authorities of confiscating migrants’ assets and property during the process.
Meanwhile, Pakistani officials, including the country’s defense minister, have continued to link the presence of Afghan migrants with the activities of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and have criticized the Taliban for allegedly sheltering the group inside Afghanistan.
