Over 1800 people deported to Afghanistan in single day: Taliban
Kabul, May 27
As many as 868 families, comprising 1,847 people, were deported to Afghanistan through various border crossings on Tuesday, local media reported on Wednesday citing a statement issued by the Taliban regime.
Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that 772 families, including 1,479 people, returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing.
As many as nine families returned to Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak border crossing, 47 families through the Nimroz border crossing, and 40 families through the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat, according to the statement, Afghanistan-based newspaper 8AM Media, also known as Hasht-e-Subh Daily, reported.
Earlier this month, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in its latest report, stated that Afghan migrants' return and deportation from Pakistan continued at a high level during the first quarter of 2026, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported.
During the first quarter of 2026, 174,972 Afghans returned to Afghanistan, of whom 89 per cent returned willingly, while 11 per cent were deported, as per the report.
The report stated that the number of returnees reduced by 53 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter. However, the level of returns remained high due to the Pakistan government's continued implementation of the "Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan."
According to the report, 98 per cent of respondents said that fear of arrest was the primary reason for returning to Afghanistan. The report stated that 69 per cent of respondents said that financial debt was another reason for their return to Afghanistan.
According to the report, 71 per cent of respondents cited family reunification and 65 per cent mentioned availability of assistance, as the main reasons for their decision to return to Afghanistan. Furthermore, the report revealed that around one quarter of heads of households had been living in refugee camps before returning to Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.
Pakistan has continued deportation of undocumented Afghans since 2023 despite facing criticism from human rights organisations and the United Nations.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Pakistan's 'Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan' has been ruthless. The 98% citing fear of arrest shows how oppressive the conditions were. But I wonder, what happens to these families now in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan? 😔
The scale is alarming - 1,847 in a single day! The 53% drop from previous quarter is interesting though, maybe some diplomatic backchannel efforts? Still, Pakistan needs to follow international refugee protocols rather than mass deportations that destabilize an already fragile Afghanistan.
71% cited family reunification and 65% mentioned availability of assistance - those numbers suggest the Taliban regime is creating some kind of infrastructure to receive returnees. But one has to ask, is that assistance real or just propaganda? Afghanistan's economy is in shambles.
India has always supported Afghanistan's stability. The international community, especially UNHCR and IOM, must ensure these returnees have proper shelter, food, and livelihoods. The 69% citing financial debt shows these are not voluntary returns but forced desperation.
The quarter of households living in refugee camps before returning is shocking. These are people who had no homes even in Pakistan. Now they go back to an Afghanistan under Taliban rule with uncertain future. Pakistan's policy since 2023 has been cruel, but where is the global outcry? 🌍
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