The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Pakistan has announced that global funding constraints have forced the agency to halt cash assistance for most Afghans returning from Pakistan.
The agency said support will now be limited to vulnerable returnees and holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
In a statement issued on Saturday, UNHCR said worldwide financial pressures had affected its ability to deliver humanitarian aid. The agency confirmed that cash support for Afghan returnees was restricted beginning on Friday.
According to the announcement, only Afghans registered with UNHCR or holding PoR cards will be eligible for the reduced assistance. The agency acknowledged the hardships facing Afghan families and said broader support would resume if additional funding becomes available.
The reduction in aid comes as Pakistan intensifies its campaign to expel Afghan migrants, with authorities reportedly removing around 7,000 people in a single day. Human rights groups have criticised the mass deportations, and UN experts have warned of severe humanitarian consequences, urging Pakistan to adhere to its international obligations.
Iran is also deporting thousands of Afghan migrants each day. The UN Security Council has noted that efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance inside Afghanistan have become increasingly complicated as neighbouring countries continue to force out Afghan nationals.
