Abdul's decision to leave Pakistan, his home for 23 years, was abrupt, driven by the Pakistani government's November 1 deadline for over 1 million undocumented foreigners to return to their respective countries. With his family, including a baby son, Abdul swiftly packed their belongings one night and embarked on a journey towards the Afghan border the next morning. The urgency stemmed from the impending enforcement of immigration measures after the specified deadline.
While refugees like Abdul were officially exempted from the government's repatriation plan announced on October 3, reports emerged that registered refugees and other Afghans possessing legal documents faced pressure from law enforcement authorities to leave Pakistan. Fearing arrest, Abdul chose to leave, stating, "It was better to leave than being caught and arrested by the police. In 24 hours, our lives changed."
The impact of this forced migration is substantial, with more than 350,000 people having returned to Afghanistan since the announcement. The situation has placed significant strain on Afghanistan's already fragile humanitarian conditions, as many returnees find themselves in dire need of emergency assistance.
Pakistan has long hosted Afghan refugees, with 1.3 million registered and an additional 840,000 holding Citizenship Cards providing some protection. An estimated 1.5 million undocumented Afghans reside in Pakistan, including approximately 600,000 who arrived following Afghanistan's takeover by de facto authorities in August 2021.
Days after arriving in Afghanistan, Abdul and his family, still dazed by their sudden departure, sought assistance at a UNHCR center in Samarkhel, Nangarhar province. Here, they received protection counseling, a return cash grant, vaccinations, and health checks. However, Abdul remains apprehensive about their future, especially considering that it is his first time in Afghanistan. Born in Pakistan, he worked as a shopkeeper, selling fabrics in a local market.
"I'm the elder son and responsible for the family. Finding work is our main concern," Abdul expressed. "My father went as a refugee to Pakistan and started from zero, just as we are doing now."
UNHCR staff and humanitarian partners are facing the immense challenge of monitoring and providing assistance to the large-scale influx of returning Afghans arriving at two official border crossings with Pakistan – Torkham in Nangarhar province and Spin Boldak in Kandahar province. This effort comes amid the ongoing humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, affecting over two-thirds of the population.
At the Spin Boldak border crossing, Assadullah, a father of eight, arrived from Pakistan in a truck loaded with household belongings. Despite spending 44 years in Quetta, Pakistan, he felt compelled to leave due to increasing harassment. Restrictions imposed by the Pakistani government limit returnees to bringing no more than 50,000 rupees (US$173) in cash. Assadullah, like Abdul, is concerned about starting over in Afghanistan but values the peace and absence of harassment.
In recent years, the number of Afghan refugees returning home through UNHCR's voluntary repatriation program has been relatively low, with 6,424 in 2022. However, this year has seen a significant rise, with numbers reaching 24,000 by mid-November after Pakistan's return deadline announcement. UNHCR's program provides support, including protection assistance and a cash grant, to returning refugees.
Many recent arrivals, such as Obaidullah, a father of 12, are staying with relatives until they can find housing and work. The challenges are profound, particularly for individuals like Obaidullah's daughter, Kainat, whose dreams of becoming a doctor are now hindered by the move.
The abrupt return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans just before winter is expected to worsen the country's humanitarian crisis, intensifying competition for scarce resources, including housing, health services, and jobs. Simultaneously, humanitarian agencies grapple with significant funding shortfalls and respond to the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in western Herat province in October.
Leonard Zulu, UNHCR's Representative in Afghanistan, emphasized the challenging circumstances: "The mass arrivals couldn't have happened at a worse time. We are dealing with many competing humanitarian needs and now huge numbers of arrivals, many without any family support or coping mechanisms here. It makes for a very grim winter and a difficult time ahead."
While de facto authorities and ordinary Afghans are rallying to support new arrivals, offering tents, cash assistance, transport help, and food, the challenges ahead remain enormous. The humanitarian situation is further complicated by the ongoing conflict, making the provision of aid and support a critical yet formidable task.