One Million Returns in 8 Months: Massive Wave of Afghan Repatriation from Pakistan

DIDPress: Afghanistan has been witnessing one of the largest waves of migrant returns in its recent history, with one million people returning from Pakistan alone in the past eight months.

The United Nations has reported that since September 2023, approximately one million Afghan citizens have returned to their homeland from Pakistan, placing significant pressure on vulnerable host communities within the country.

This large-scale return is primarily driven by recent pressures from the Pakistani government to expel undocumented migrants, forcing many families to leave their shelters without prior preparation.

The United Nations and international aid organizations have provided support to hundreds of thousands of returnees and displaced families in 2023 and 2024.

This assistance includes immediate humanitarian aid, temporary shelter, healthcare services, and efforts to reintegrate individuals into society.

Fatima, a returnee in the Sorkh Rod district of Nangarhar province, shared, “We had nothing but the clothes on our backs. But at least we’ve returned home.”

Meanwhile, a senior UN official stated, “The massive return of Afghans requires a coherent and sustainable response. The international community must strengthen its support to enable these families to build a stable future.”

These developments come as Afghanistan continues to grapple with economic challenges, resource shortages, and instability, making the continuation of this trend dependent on extensive domestic and international cooperation.