Amnesty further noted that many deported individuals are at risk of severe repression under the Taliban regime, especially journalists, human rights defenders, women protestors, artists, and former officials.

In a rapid escalation of its deportation drive, Pakistan has expelled approximately 40,000 Afghan nationals over the past eleven days alone, according to reports from Afghan media outlet TOLO News. The operation, widely seen as part of a broader crackdown on Afghan migrants, has affected both documented and undocumented families and drawn widespread criticism from human rights groups and international organizations.

Officials in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province described the deportations as “accelerated,” noting that thousands of Afghan families have been forced to return from cities such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad to temporary camps in Torkham township, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

TOLO News quoted Bakht Jamal Gowhar, a migration transfer officer in Torkham, as saying, “In the past eleven days, nearly 7,000 families have returned, totaling around 40,000 individuals. This includes deported individuals, documented returnees, and those forcibly expelled.”

Many returnees arriving in Torkham have described harrowing ordeals during their forced journey back to Afghanistan. Numerous deportees allege abuse at the hands of Pakistani police, including harassment, extortion, and confiscation of their possessions. Some reported being arrested multiple times and forced to pay large bribes – ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 Pakistani rupees – just to secure their release or receive necessary documentation for deportation.

Mohammad Eshan, a deportee who was arrested twice, recounted: “The first time I was taken, they demanded 20,000 rupees. Just days after being released, I was detained again while shopping, and had to pay another 20,000.”

Local officials in Nangarhar province say Pakistan has accelerated the deportation of Afghan migrants in recent days. Meanwhile, officials from the caretaker government in Torkham township have facilitated services for these returnees and arranged their transportation to their original provinces.

Sudden Influx

Others shared similar accounts of mistreatment. Dad Mohammad, a 58-year-old who had lived in Pakistan for 45 years, said he and his family were abruptly forced out without warning. “The police raided our home, didn’t let us gather our belongings, and we left everything behind—our motorcycles, cargo vehicle, everything.”

Kamran, another deportee, lamented: “We had shops and businesses. We left everything to preserve our dignity.” Sadaqat Khan, 25, who returned with his family, said their household possessions were seized and their livelihood destroyed. “All the wealth we had gathered over 25 years was left behind. Our homes are full of belongings we’ll likely never recover.”

The Afghan caretaker government is working to assist the sudden influx of returnees. Local officials in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces have been coordinating transportation to help families return to their hometowns. Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Administrative Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office, recently visited both provinces to oversee support efforts, including the distribution of land to displaced families.

Azizullah Mustafa, deputy governor of Nangarhar, acknowledged the difficulties migrants are facing. “Many are separated from spouses still across the border. Their businesses and assets remain in Pakistan. We are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address these issues through diplomatic channels,” he said.

Recently deported migrants report that Pakistani police treated them harshly, extorted money under various pretexts during the journey, and acted aggressively. Returning Afghans say Pakistani drivers exploited their vulnerability, charging excessive transportation fares.

International Condemnation

The deportation campaign has sparked strong international condemnation. Human rights watchdogs, including Amnesty International, have raised alarms over the lack of transparency and legality in Pakistan’s so-called “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.”

“The Pakistani government’s unyielding and cruel deadline, which is less than a week away, to remove Afghan refugees and asylum seekers from major cities, shows little respect for international human rights law,” said Isabelle Lassée, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International. “It is disingenuous to frame Afghan refugees as a menace. The government is scapegoating a vulnerable community fleeing persecution.”

Amnesty further noted that many deported individuals are at risk of severe repression under the Taliban regime, especially journalists, human rights defenders, women protestors, artists, and former officials. Between September 2023 and February 2025, Pakistan forcibly deported at least 844,499 Afghan nationals – many of whom face immediate danger upon return.

Legal contradictions within Pakistan’s own governance have also come to light. In January 2025, the federal government assured the Supreme Court that registered Afghan refugees would not be apprehended or deported. Moreover, the Islamabad High Court recently ordered authorities to stop harassing holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, many of whom are still facing intimidation and forced removal.

Despite these assurances, reports from Afghan media and international observers indicate that the deportation campaign continues with little regard for individual refugee status or legal protections.

TOLO News also reported that many returnees cited increasing political and economic instability in Pakistan as a factor behind their expulsion. Regardless of the rationale, the humanitarian consequences are stark: families arriving with no money, no property, and no place to call home.

As the number of returnees grows, the Afghan government is under mounting pressure to manage a deepening crisis. With limited resources and an economy already under strain, reintegrating tens of thousands of forcibly displaced citizens poses a critical challenge – one that will require sustained domestic coordination and urgent international support.

The forced deportations, critics say, not only violate international refugee norms but also threaten to destabilize an already fragile Afghanistan – leaving thousands in a state of displacement, uncertainty, and despair.