Key Takeaways
• Pakistan deported 842,429 Afghans between November 2023 and March 2025; 40,677 were officially deported.
• By April 30, 2025, over 80,000 Afghans left Pakistan voluntarily to avoid forced removal and sudden displacement.
• Human rights groups criticize Pakistan’s actions, citing violations of non-refoulement and severe risks for returning refugees.
Pakistan 🇵🇰 is currently deporting thousands of Afghan refugees, a move that has broken up families, sent long-term residents back to a country they hardly know, and drawn concern from many international observers. As of April 30, 2025, a very important deadline has forced tens of thousands of Afghans in Pakistan 🇵🇰 to leave on their own or face being forced out. This step follows months of forced returns that have already affected hundreds of thousands of people.
Many Afghan refugees have built their lives in Pakistan 🇵🇰, often not knowing any other home. Now, they face uncertainty, fear, and the pain of separation.
The Scale and Impact of Deportations
Between November 2023 and March 2025, Pakistan 🇵🇰 returned about 842,429 Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫. Out of these, 40,677 people were formally deported by Pakistan 🇵🇰. By January 2025, over 813,300 Afghans had already returned to Afghanistan 🇦🇫. These numbers show that the deportation effort is vast and continuing to grow.
Just this month, Pakistan 🇵🇰 deported more than 19,500 Afghans. With the April 30 deadline, over 80,000 Afghans left before the date, hoping to avoid forced removal and the stress of being suddenly uprooted.
This large-scale movement does not just involve numbers. It affects real people:
- Many deportees have spent decades in Pakistan 🇵🇰. Some were born there and have never even seen Afghanistan 🇦🇫.
- Family units are breaking apart, especially when Afghan refugees have Pakistani spouses or children who are citizens of Pakistan 🇵🇰.
- Each day, about 700 to 800 Afghan families cross the border at the Torkham crossing into Afghanistan 🇦🇫.
These forced removals are not always organized or gentle. Many Afghan refugees leave behind schools, jobs, and social connections built over a lifetime.
Tragically Split Families and Unfamiliar Homeland
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans are experiencing heartache as they cross back into Afghanistan 🇦🇫. They are finding themselves in a country that for many is unfamiliar, especially for young people and children born and raised in Pakistan 🇵🇰.
For example, one deportee at the border shared, “I was born in Pakistan, I got married there, lived my entire life there, and now this has happened to me. Look at our condition, we haven’t slept in a week.” These words show the deep stress and sadness felt by many Afghans forced to leave.
Another deportee said, “Our children have never seen Afghanistan, and even I don’t know what it looks like anymore. It might take us a year or more to settle in and find work. We feel helpless.” Refugee families worry about finding work, a home, and a safe environment for their children. Many have relatives on the other side whom they may never see again.
Family splits are also a big problem when Afghan refugees have married Pakistani nationals or raised children who are legally Pakistani. This often leaves children or spouses behind, with little hope for reunification anytime soon.
Every day, hundreds of families endure the emotional hardship of saying goodbye to their homes, friends, and in some cases, their loved ones.
The Human Stories: Facing Threats and Uncertainty
The fear and uncertainty go beyond borders. Some Afghan refugees face threats if they are sent back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫, but still struggle to remain in Pakistan 🇵🇰.
Parwana Rahimi, a 27-year-old Afghan journalist, is a clear example. She left Afghanistan 🇦🇫 to escape Taliban threats and has lived in Pakistan 🇵🇰, working as a journalist since 2014. Even though she has legal documents, she reports being spoken to “in an inappropriate manner and threatened to be deported back to Afghanistan.” Her story shows how even those with some legal status feel unsafe.
Journalists, human rights workers, women protestors, artists, and former Afghan officials are among the most at risk if sent back. Many of these people face real dangers under the current Afghan government.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, the experiences of deportees are marked by fear, exhaustion, and an uncertain future. Long-term residents, especially women and children, find themselves in a country where they may be at risk due to their past jobs or public activities.
Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 Justification for Mass Deportations
The government of Pakistan 🇵🇰 says the deportations are needed for safety and security reasons. Officials have blamed rising crime in the country on illegal immigrants. They state that since January 2023, there have been 24 suicide bombings, with 14 allegedly carried out by Afghan nationals. Pakistan 🇵🇰 also accuses the Afghan Taliban government of sheltering members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who have planned several violent attacks in the country.
Besides security, political factors may also be involved. Outside observers suggest two key points:
- Pakistan 🇵🇰 may hope to push the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 🇦🇫 to cooperate more with its foreign policy goals.
- Afghan immigrants are being used as scapegoats for Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 current economic crisis, shifting blame from the government.
These explanations show the complicated reasons behind the deportations. While security is a real concern, the government’s actions have broad effects on innocent people. Many of those being forced out have little or no connection to crime and have lived peaceful lives in Pakistan 🇵🇰 for years.
International and Human Rights Response
The reaction from the international community and human rights groups has been strong. Amnesty International launched the #UndoTheDeadline campaign to protest the deportations. The group issued a report, “‘Treat us like human beings’: Afghans in Pakistan at risk of unlawful deportation,” calling on Pakistan 🇵🇰 to stop removing people without fair process.
Amnesty International and other rights groups say that Pakistan 🇵🇰 is breaking international law by sending refugees back to potential danger. The important principle of non-refoulement, found in international laws and many human rights agreements, says a country should not send people back to a place where they risk serious harm.
Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, called attention to the deep impact on those forced to return: “Many Afghans have been in Pakistan for more than four decades. Their lives stand to be completely upended as a result of the Pakistan government’s insistence on violating their obligations under international human rights law.”
Groups such as Amnesty International warn that the following groups are at greatest risk if sent back:
- Afghan women and girls, who could lose access to education or be punished for their beliefs or activities
- Journalists and activists, who may be targeted by the Taliban
- Former government workers and anyone seen as opposing the Taliban
- Artists and those who took part in protests inside Afghanistan or Pakistan 🇵🇰
The international community, through reports and demands, continues to press Pakistan 🇵🇰 to follow its human rights responsibilities.
The Uncertain Future for Afghan Refugees
For many Afghan refugees, the future is unclear. People are forced to leave their lives behind, and even those with legal documents can feel unsafe. Children must leave schools, adults lose jobs, and families lose their support systems.
Most Afghan refugees have nowhere else to go but back to Afghanistan 🇦🇫, where conditions remain hard. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan 🇦🇫 in 2021, the country has faced serious problems like high unemployment, limited access to basic needs, and ongoing violence.
This makes starting fresh very hard, especially for those who barely know Afghanistan 🇦🇫 or have not lived there in decades.
- Many returnees end up in temporary camps or stay with relatives.
- The Afghan government and aid groups are struggling to help so many people at once.
- Finding work, housing, and health care can take months or even longer.
Children’s education is also disrupted, and girls especially risk losing access to schools due to policies in Afghanistan 🇦🇫 under the Taliban government.
The Border Pressure: Torkham’s Heavy Load
The main place where deportations and voluntary returns are taking place is the Torkham crossing, the busiest border between Pakistan 🇵🇰 and Afghanistan 🇦🇫. Here, 700 to 800 Afghan families make the crossing every day. People wait in line for hours, sometimes days, without enough food, water, or shelter.
Both governments face pressure as the numbers grow. Border security is tight and not everyone receives fair treatment. Families are often separated at the crossing, with older relatives or family members held for questioning or missing documents.
This border crisis highlights the physical and emotional toll of the deportation policy, deepening the sense of loss and confusion for many Afghans.
Legal Status and Documentation Problems
A big reason for these large numbers is the problem of documentation. The policy mostly targets Afghan refugees without valid papers. But even those with legal documents, like Parwana Rahimi, are not always safe.
Many Afghan refugees lived in Pakistan 🇵🇰 under visas that have expired, or with temporary papers that are no longer accepted. Others registered with the government decades ago but now find their status challenged.
Pakistan 🇵🇰 points to its right as a host country to regulate who can stay. But international groups, including the United Nations, have called for more fair procedures and for special protection for those most likely to face harm if forced to return.
The Pakistan Ministry of Interior offers official information for those seeking guidance on immigration and visa-related matters, including forms and updates for foreign nationals.
Consequences for Both Countries
Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 actions have broad consequences:
- Strained relations between Pakistan 🇵🇰 and Afghanistan 🇦🇫, making it harder to solve problems that affect both countries.
- Pressure on Afghanistan 🇦🇫, which now must help huge numbers of returnees with limited resources.
- Worsening humanitarian situation along the border, as camps and support services are overwhelmed.
- Negative effects on the lives of hundreds of thousands of ordinary people, many of whom do not feel connected to the politics that led to their deportation.
At the same time, Pakistan 🇵🇰 faces the challenge of maintaining security and economic stability at home. There are strong feelings on both sides, as some Pakistanis believe their country cannot support so many refugees, while others feel sympathy for Afghans who have become part of their communities.
Differing Views and Calls for Action
Some people in Pakistan 🇵🇰 support the deportations, believing they are needed for public safety and economic reasons. Others, both inside and outside the country, say the government should do more to protect basic human rights and keep families together.
International groups continue to call for:
- An end to mass deportations and forced returns, at least for people at special risk.
- Fair procedures for reviewing individual cases, with special care for women, children, and others who face danger.
- More help for Afghanistan 🇦🇫 and for refugees once they return so they can rebuild their lives more safely.
- Steps to protect family unity and avoid breaking up families between countries.
The situation remains difficult, with no simple answers. What is clear from the reports and the voices of those affected is that behind every number is a person, a family, and a community facing loss and great uncertainty.
Conclusion: What’s Next?
Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees is one of the largest forced movements of people in the region’s recent history. With over 842,000 people sent back since late 2023, the policy has changed countless lives, split families, and brought new pain to people who already faced hardship.
While the Pakistani government says security concerns and economic stress guide their actions, human rights groups warn that the cost has been too high for too many. The challenge now is whether solutions can be found that both meet security needs and protect human dignity.
As thousands continue to cross the border each day, the story is far from over. The needs and rights of Afghan refugees keep drawing attention from around the world, as new challenges emerge for them in both Pakistan 🇵🇰 and Afghanistan 🇦🇫.
For those seeking more information on the forms, laws, and next steps involved in this ongoing crisis, the official Pakistan Ministry of Interior immigration and visa page provides updates and resources. It remains crucial for all involved to look for fair and humane solutions, remembering that behind each statistic is a person hoping for safety and a chance to build a stable life for their family.
Learn Today
Non-refoulement → A principle in international law forbidding countries from returning refugees to a place where they risk serious harm.
Torkham crossing → The busiest border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where thousands of Afghan families cross daily during deportations.
Afghan refugees → People from Afghanistan living in Pakistan due to war, persecution, or instability in their country.
Amnesty International → A global organization focused on human rights, advocating for refugees and against unlawful deportations.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) → A militant group accused of violent attacks in Pakistan; cited by officials as a security concern linked to Afghan refugees.
This Article in a Nutshell
Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghan refugees has caused family separations and forced returns to an unfamiliar Afghanistan. Over 842,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since late 2023, sparking international concern and calls for humane solutions. Many returnees now struggle to rebuild their lives amid uncertainty, hardship, and disrupted futures.
— By VisaVerge.com
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