Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan are delaying or avoiding essential medical care because they fear arrest, detention and deportation under Islamabad’s ongoing campaign against undocumented migrants, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Tuesday, warning that the policy is putting vulnerable families at growing risk.
In a new report, MSF said Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) has severely affected refugees’ access to healthcare, with many Afghans avoiding hospitals and clinics for fear they could be detained while seeking treatment. The medical charity said the trend is contributing to worsening child malnutrition, untreated chronic illnesses, pregnancy-related complications and preventable diseases among displaced Afghan communities.
Many Afghan refugees are living in constant fear of arrest, losing their livelihoods and being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, MSF said, calling on Pakistan to halt forced returns and ensure that refugees and asylum seekers can safely access healthcare without fear of detention or deportation.
Pakistan has accelerated its deportation campaign since late 2023, targeting undocumented foreign nationals, the vast majority of whom are Afghans. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than one million Afghans have returned or been deported from Pakistan since the campaign began, placing additional pressure on Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian response.
MSF said many refugees now avoid seeking treatment until medical conditions become critical, increasing the risk of severe illness and preventable deaths. The organization warned that delayed access to healthcare also poses wider public health concerns by increasing the spread of infectious diseases and reducing access to routine vaccinations and maternal care.
The warning comes as Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. According to the United Nations, millions of Afghans require humanitarian assistance, while widespread poverty, unemployment and repeated climate-related shocks have left much of the population dependent on aid. The country’s healthcare system remains under severe strain following years of conflict, economic decline and reductions in international funding, limiting access to essential medicines, medical staff and specialized care.
Aid agencies have also warned that the growing number of returnees is placing additional pressure on already overstretched health facilities and humanitarian services, particularly in border provinces where thousands of deported Afghans arrive each week with few possessions and limited access to shelter, food or medical support.
The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern that many of those being returned include women, children, elderly people, people with disabilities and individuals with international protection needs, who could face heightened risks after returning to Afghanistan. Humanitarian organizations have urged Pakistan and other host countries to ensure that refugee returns are safe, voluntary and dignified, in line with international law and the principle of non-refoulement, while allowing those in need of protection continued access to asylum procedures and essential public services, including healthcare.