KABUL, Afghanistan — Nearly 6,000 migrant families were deported or returned from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, according to figures compiled by Amu from Taliban-run refugees ministry.
The findings, released by Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency, show that between April 18 and April 25, at least 5,977 Afghan families crossed back into the country. Of these, 4,082 families were deported by Pakistan and 1,895 families by Iran, either forcibly or voluntarily, according to the reports.
In Pakistan, the majority of returns were recorded through Torkham crossing (2,387 families), Spin Boldak crossing (1,685 families), and Paktika province crossing (10 families).
Meanwhile, from Iran, Silk Bridge in Nimruz (799 families), and Islam Qala crossing in Herat (1,096 families).
The surge in deportations comes as Pakistan intensifies the second phase of its forced repatriation campaign targeting Afghan migrants, including holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) and undocumented individuals. Iran has also escalated its detention and expulsion operations against Afghan nationals in recent weeks.
On Friday, Pakistani authorities officially launched the next stage of deportations following a previous March 31 deadline. Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, confirmed that a new deadline of June 30 has been set for registered Afghan refugees, including those holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, to voluntarily leave the country.
Speaking to Geo News alongside a UN representative, Chaudhry said that after the deadline, formal deportations would resume. “Afghan refugees were and remain our guests,” he said. “They are being sent back with full dignity and respect.”
Pakistan currently hosts more than 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees, in addition to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. Humanitarian agencies have warned that Afghanistan’s strained economy and limited public services are ill-equipped to absorb the massive influx of returnees.
