The Taliban’s High Commission for Addressing Migrant Issues reported that 2,962 Afghan migrants were deported from Pakistan on Thursday, 17 April. Of these, 2,100 were returned via the Torkham border crossing, and 862 through Spin Boldak.
In a statement issued on Friday, 18 April, the commission noted that 299 deported families, totalling 1,606 individuals, have been resettled across provinces including Ghazni, Baghlan, Takhar, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Logar, Khost, Paktia, and Paktika. On the same day, 139 Afghan families, comprising 542 people, were deported from Iran via the Islam Qala border crossing. The commission also distributed financial aid amounting to 6.794 million Afghanis to 838 families.
The commission further disclosed that on Wednesday, 16 April, an additional 5,136 Afghan migrants were expelled from Pakistan—3,500 through Torkham and 1,636 via Spin Boldak.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has expressed concern over the surge in deportations, noting that at least 60,000 Afghan migrants have been expelled from Pakistan in the past two weeks. The agency underscored the urgent need for humanitarian support and urged the international community to act.
Mutya Izora Maskun, IOM’s Deputy Chief of Mission for Operations, highlighted that forced returns have risen sharply since 4 April, with women and children constituting the majority of deportees.
