Afghanistan Peace Campaign
A total of 763 Afghan nationals were released from prisons in Pakistan and returned to Afghanistan over the past week, according to authorities overseeing migration affairs.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said on Saturday that the former detainees entered Afghanistan through the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossings after completing legal procedures.
The releases come amid Pakistan’s ongoing campaign against undocumented foreign nationals, which has led to the detention, deportation and voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans over the past two years. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly said that individuals without valid residency documents must leave the country.
The United Nations and several international aid agencies have expressed concern over the scale of arrests and deportations, warning that many returnees face economic hardship and limited access to housing, employment and humanitarian assistance upon their return to Afghanistan.
According to the ministry, the detainees had been imprisoned in Pakistan because they lacked legal residency documents. Of the total number released, 230 returned through the Torkham crossing in eastern Nangarhar province, while 533 entered through Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province.
The ministry said the individuals were transferred back to Afghanistan after their identities were verified and the necessary administrative procedures were completed.
The release of the detainees comes as arrests of undocumented Afghan migrants continue across several Pakistani cities. Human rights organizations and refugee advocates have raised concerns about the detention of asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants during the enforcement campaign.
The United Nations has repeatedly urged Pakistan to halt the detention and deportation of Afghan refugees, particularly those who may face protection risks upon return.
At the same time, the authorities in Kabul have called for the acceleration of the return process, despite warnings from aid organizations that Afghanistan is struggling with economic challenges, high unemployment and limited humanitarian resources to absorb large numbers of returnees.
According to international agencies, millions of Afghans remain displaced or dependent on humanitarian assistance, while the continued return of migrants from neighboring countries is placing additional pressure on already stretched services and communities across the country.