A family of seven, deported from Pakistan six months ago, claims their household head remains detained by Pakistani police, leaving them in a precarious situation in Afghanistan. The family, now living in Helmand province, had resided in Karachi, Pakistan, for 20 years before being forcibly deported, losing everything in the process.
The family’s plight echoes the experiences of many Afghan migrants who have been deported by Pakistan under similarly dire circumstances. They are currently residing in Lashkar Gah’s District 3, where they struggle to make ends meet.
The wife of the detained man, Noor Gul, recounted the harrowing experience of being deported while pregnant. She said her husband was imprisoned on unclear charges and remains in custody in Pakistan. Their daughter, Mina, expressed deep concern over her father’s unjust detention. “We lived in Pakistan for 20 years. My father has been in prison for six months, and no one has come to our aid. We pay 1,500 Afghanis for rent here,” she said.
Another Afghan deportee, Ezatullah, shared a similar story of mistreatment. He described how he and his nine-member family were detained and then deported without any prior notice. “It’s all about money,” Ezatullah said. “If you have money, you won’t be imprisoned; if you don’t pay, you’ll be imprisoned. They imprison people and release them only when they pay.”
Residents of Lashkar Gah’s District 3, many of whom have recently returned from Pakistan, recounted the harsh treatment they faced during their deportation. “We came here with nothing to eat. We go to the market square, and if there’s work, we earn 100 to 150 Afghanis a day,” said Abdul Rahim, another deportee. “The Pakistani police treated us very badly; they tortured us and confiscated our money.”
Since November, around 600,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan, according to the United Nations. Many of these deportees, including the family of Noor Gul, now face uncertain and challenging circumstances as they try to rebuild their lives in Afghanistan.
