Millions of Afghans Return Home, Intensifying Pressure on Jobs and Housing

DID Press: The return of more than six million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan over the past three years has intensified competition for jobs and housing in Afghanistan, increasing economic pressure on both returning families and local residents.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that in Sheberghan, the capital of Jawzjan province, many workers are struggling to find daily-wage jobs. Ghulam Sakhi Barat, 83, who is responsible for providing for his seven family members, said job opportunities for local residents had declined following the arrival of returnees.

Meanwhile, Abdul Qader Hotak, 60, who was deported after spending two decades in Pakistan, said his children, who previously attended school there, had turned to collecting rubbish to help cover the family’s living expenses.According to United Nations projections, the population of Aqcha district in Jawzjan province is expected to increase by more than 26 percent following the large-scale return of migrants.

Drought and water shortages are also making living conditions more difficult for residents.The report adds that nearly one-third of Afghanistan’s population, or 15.9 million people, face acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse. Local residents have also reported sharp increases in rents, with some rising by as much as 150 percent.Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, warned that competition over scarce resources could fuel resentment, contribute to further displacement and undermine stability.

Local officials, however, say the authorities have established a committee to regulate housing rents. Some residents said they were unaware of the committee.The United Nations has stressed that sustained assistance and adequate shelter are essential to supporting both returnees and the communities receiving them.