Over 750 Afghan Families Return from Pakistan and Iran in a Single Day Amid Ongoing Repatriation Crisis
Kabul, Afghanistan – April 22, 2025: In a significant development, more than 750 Afghan families returned to their homeland from Pakistan and Iran on Monday, as reported by Hasht e Subh Daily. This mass return, totaling over 4,000 individuals, underscores the intensifying challenges faced by Afghan refugees amid regional deportation policies and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The returning families, many of whom were seen carrying their belongings in bags and crates, arrived at border crossings in a visibly crowded scene. Photographs from the event depict men, women, and children standing closely together, some appearing weary from their journey. The backdrop of rugged mountains and makeshift barriers highlights the stark conditions many face upon their return. This influx aligns with recent data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which notes that approximately six million Afghan citizens currently reside in Iran and Pakistan, with nearly two million deported in 2024 alone, according to Khaama Press.
Iranian authorities have announced plans to deport at least two million Afghan citizens by the end of March 2025, while Pakistan has similarly intensified its deportation efforts. The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that around one million Afghan refugees have returned from foreign countries in the past nine months, most forcibly expelled from Iran and Pakistan. These returns are placing an immense burden on Afghanistan, a country already grappling with economic collapse, acute food insecurity, and natural disasters.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 1.4 million Afghan refugees returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2024, exacerbating an already dire situation. Save the Children has warned that 7.8 million children in Afghanistan face crisis levels of hunger, a situation worsened by harsh winter conditions, climate change, and economic instability. The UN estimates that over 23.7 million people—more than half of Afghanistan’s population—require humanitarian assistance in 2024, a crisis that has persisted into 2025.
Aid agencies are struggling to keep up with the needs of returnees, many of whom arrive without shelter, food, or medical support. The UNHCR has emphasized the need for international support to provide basic services, sustainable housing, and livelihoods, particularly for women and girls, whose rights have been further restricted by the Taliban’s policies. Despite improved security in some areas, the overall situation remains precarious, with over 90% of the population living below the poverty line, as noted by the European Commission.
The plight of Afghan refugees continues to draw global attention, with calls for increased humanitarian funding and efforts to address the root causes of displacement. The EU has allocated nearly €161 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in 2024, focusing on delivering life-saving assistance through local partners. However, as repatriation numbers rise, the strain on resources and infrastructure in Afghanistan grows, leaving thousands of vulnerable families at risk.
This ongoing crisis, now in its fifth decade, remains one of the world’s most urgent, with experts warning that without concerted international action, the situation for Afghan returnees and the broader population will only deteriorate further.
