ISLAMABAD: Since April, more than 200,000 Afghans have left Pakistan following a government crackdown on undocumented migrants, with Iran also intensifying its deportations.
Generations of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan and Iran due to decades of war and instability in their homeland.
However, growing impatience in both countries with the large Afghan migrant populations has led to strict eviction campaigns under threat of arrest.
Mass Departures and Government Measures
Pakistan has cancelled residence permits for over 800,000 Afghans, including many born or raised in the country. According to Pakistan’s interior ministry, around 135,000 Afghans left in April, 67,000 in May, and over 3,000 in the first two days of June.
Although departures slowed ahead of the Eidul Azha holiday, many Afghans continue to cross border points daily. Mohammad Wali, a 21-year-old farmer near the Spin Boldak crossing, expressed the difficult choice facing many, saying, “We left behind our orchards and livelihoods… but staying meant risking our dignity.”
Iran has also ordered undocumented Afghans to leave by July 6, impacting an estimated four million of the six million Afghan migrants in the country.
The UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) highlighted a surge in deportations from Iran, with 15,675 Afghans crossing back in May alone — more than double the previous month’s figure.
Regional Impact and Rising Tensions
The IOM warned that the rising numbers of deportees crossing back into Afghanistan strain the country’s fragile reintegration systems. It called for a halt to forced returns until conditions are safe, voluntary, and dignified.
The expulsion campaigns have sparked a rise in border violence and deepened regional instability. Pakistan accuses Afghan nationals of involvement in militant attacks and alleges Taliban complicity, charges denied by Kabul.
Security concerns along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan remain acute amid a surge in terrorism and militant activity.
While some Pakistanis support the deportations amid economic and security challenges, the moves risk worsening an already fragile situation in South Asia.
