Kabul, February 17 – The forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan through the Torkham crossing has intensified before Ramadan, local media reported on Tuesday.
The Pakistani police's raids on homes, mistreatment, and harsh conditions are among the factors that Afghan migrants have cited as making life difficult for them, according to Tolo News, an Afghan-based media outlet.
Hamesh Gul, who was recently deported to Afghanistan along with his wife and children after nearly five decades, stated that all of his wealth and hard-earned assets were left behind in Pakistan.
He said, "They even cut off electricity to our area, closed schools for our children, and eventually blocked our SIM cards. They demolished our shops, treated us very badly, and we were forced to leave behind all our property, livelihoods, and everything we had."
Afghan migrants stated that Pakistan was also not taking into consideration Ramadan and that they were being forcibly deported.
Sediqullah, a recently deported Afghan migrant, said, "The Pakistani police treat Afghan migrants very harshly. They did not even consider the holy month of Ramadan and failed to observe international refugee principles, acting against all international laws."
Nisar Ahmad, who was recently deported from Pakistan, said, "I was born in Pakistan and was pursuing my education, which has now remained unfinished. We used to work in the market, but they would not allow us to continue working. They made life extremely difficult for us."
Local officials in Nangarhar said that around 800 migrant families are returning each day. They stated that assistance is being provided to Afghan returnees, and the process of providing support and aid is being facilitated.
Earlier in January, several Afghan refugees living in Pakistan urged the Pakistani and Afghan governments to resolve existing challenges through talks and provide them adequate time to return to Afghanistan gradually with dignity.
These refugees stated that rapid deportations and increasing pressure have caused serious challenges for Afghan residents. Haji Nazar, one of the Afghan refugees, requested the Pakistani government to give them three months' time so that refugees can return to Afghanistan in an orderly manner, Tolo News reported.
"The Pakistani government should give us a three-month deadline so that refugees can return to their country in an orderly and phased manner. Right now, Afghans are facing many difficulties," Tolo News quoted Haji Nazar as saying.
Refugee rights activists emphasised that the return process must be voluntary, gradual, and receive support from international organizations to prevent a new humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Another activist, Ali Reza Karimi, stated that many of the Afghan refugees have been deprived of basic human rights and are living in a state of uncertainty due to a lack of legal and valid identity documents.