Over 200,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since April as Islamabad escalates its deportation campaign targeting undocumented migrants. Iran has also increased expulsions, heightening concerns about Afghanistan’s ability to absorb the growing influx of returnees.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior reported that more than 135,000 Afghans departed in April, followed by 67,000 in May, and over 3,000 in the first two days of June alone. Since the campaign began in November 2023, over one million Afghans have returned from Pakistan, according to ANI, citing ARY News.
The crackdown targets more than 800,000 Afghans whose residency documents have been invalidated—many of whom were born or raised in Pakistan. Islamabad has accused Afghan nationals of ties to terrorism and blamed the Taliban-led Kabul administration for sheltering militants, allegations the Taliban government strongly denies.
Mohammad Wali, a farmer who recently returned via the Spin Boldak crossing, told AFP, “We left behind our orchards… but we said to ourselves, ‘If we stay, maybe one day we’ll lose our dignity.’”
Although the return rate has slowed slightly ahead of Eid al-Adha, thousands continue to cross the border each day.
Iran, meanwhile, is implementing similar measures. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported 15,675 Afghan deportations from Iran in May—more than double April’s number. The IOM raised alarm over a shift in deportation patterns, noting that families, rather than just single men, are now being expelled in growing numbers.
In late May, Iranian authorities gave undocumented Afghans until July 6 to leave the country—a directive that could affect up to four million people. Since January, over 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran, according to AFP.
Both Pakistan and Iran have long hosted millions of Afghan refugees fleeing decades of conflict, but as economic pressures mount and political tensions grow, public sentiment has turned against them. Pakistan, which still shelters around three million Afghans, has warned it may revoke the UNHCR-issued refugee cards of 1.3 million holders by the end of June.
The IOM has called on both countries to “immediately suspend the forced return of Afghans” until conditions allow for “safe, voluntary, and dignified” repatriation. Taliban officials have echoed this appeal, urging that returns be managed in a humane and orderly way.
Analysts say Pakistan’s deportation drive is driven in part by domestic political calculations and rising security concerns, particularly in restive border regions. But rights groups and humanitarian agencies caution that Afghanistan’s battered infrastructure and fragile economy are incapable of handling such a large and sudden influx, risking further instability in an already volatile nation.
