NANGARHAR — A senior official with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) who visited the Torkham border crossing raised alarm over the mounting humanitarian crisis facing Afghans returning from Pakistan, describing the scale of displacement and the conditions on the ground as dire.
“There are three things you need to know about the large-scale displacement of Afghans from Pakistan,” said Sophie Jambazishvili, a UNHCR protection officer, in a statement outlining the scope of the crisis.
Since April 1, more than 120,000 Afghans have been displaced or deported from Pakistan, with daily return numbers ranging from 3,000 to as high as 9,000. “They return with only what they can carry by hand. They are exhausted, they are distressed, and in need of help,” Jambazishvili said.
Among those returning are Afghans who left the country years — in some cases decades — ago. “Some of them were born in Pakistan and have never set foot in Afghanistan before,” she added. “Many don’t even speak local languages, and they have no family or support networks here.”
These returnees face enormous challenges in a country where over half the population remains dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive. Afghanistan continues to grapple with deepening poverty, limited access to basic services, and widespread unemployment, particularly among those displaced by conflict or forced returns.
Jambazishvili emphasized that UNHCR is providing emergency protection and assistance at border crossing points, including legal advice, mental health support, and cash assistance to help families begin reintegration. But she warned that the agency’s resources are under intense strain.
“Our resources are running short,” she said. “The lives of millions of Afghan families hang in the balance. There is an urgent need for support to give Afghan families a chance to rebuild their lives back in Afghanistan with dignity and hope.”
The latest wave of forced returns follows the Pakistani government’s renewed crackdown on undocumented Afghan migrants, many of whom fled decades of war and instability in Afghanistan. Human rights groups have voiced concern over the lack of safeguards in the deportation process and the conditions awaiting returnees.
