The United Nations refugee agency said it is struggling to meet the needs of Afghan migrants returning from Pakistan and Iran, citing a severe funding shortfall. In a report released this week, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it had received just 6 percent of the funding it required for the first quarter of 2025.
Of the $179.1 million needed, the agency said it had secured only $9 million, a shortfall that has intensified the urgent need for shelter and assistance among returnees. UNHCR added that sudden natural disasters, such as flooding, have further exacerbated vulnerabilities among the displaced populations.
With the limited funding available, the agency said it was able to provide emergency shelter and hygiene supplies to 183,299 people — only 17 percent of its intended target for early 2025.
The funding crisis comes as Pakistan accelerates its second phase of forced deportations of Afghan migrants, which began on March 31. Many returnees have reported having their belongings confiscated by Pakistani police during their expulsion and now face severe hardships upon arrival in Afghanistan.
Despite repeated international appeals to halt the deportations, Pakistan has pressed ahead. Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, recently stated: “Anyone opposing the deportation of Afghan migrants is an enemy of Pakistan.”
At the same time, Iran has also intensified the expulsion of Afghan migrants over the past two years, with authorities conducting mass arrests and deportations across multiple cities.
