Nearly 2 million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan amid deportations: UNHCR report

Kabul [Afghanistan], December 27 (ANI): Nearly two million Afghan refugees are currently living in Pakistan, according to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Tolo News reported, citing Pakistani media.
The report said that although more than one million Afghans returned to their country in 2025, a large number of Afghan citizens continue to remain in Pakistan.
"Despite the return of more than one million Afghans to Afghanistan in 2025, according to the latest data published by the UNHCR, nearly two million Afghans still live in Pakistan," the report said.
Afghan refugees have urged authorities to give them more time to return home, especially during the winter season.
Mohammad, an Afghan refugee, told Tolo News, "We should be given more time to gather our belongings and return to our country after winter ends."
Zahir Bahand, an Afghan journalist based in Pakistan, alleged mistreatment of Afghan refugees by Pakistani authorities.
"Afghan refugees are being brutally arrested, tortured, and deported by Pakistani police. What the refugees are asking for is a deadline extension so they can return home voluntarily," he told Tolo News.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that 27,000 families returned to the country over the past month.
A spokesperson for the ministry said that around 25,000 of these families returned from Pakistan.
Abdul Muttalib Haqqani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said, "In the month of Qaws this year, a total of 27,667 families comprising 141,645 individuals returned to Afghanistan from Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, either voluntarily or forcibly. Among them, 25,489 families came from Pakistan, and 2,161 families from Iran."
The development comes amid repeated complaints by Afghan refugees in Pakistan about harsh treatment by security forces, according to Tolo News.
Several Afghan migrants who have been deported from Iran and Pakistan are now calling for job opportunities in Afghanistan.
They said they spent years gaining experience and skills in areas such as agriculture, mobile phone repair, and other technical trades, and now expect the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to create employment opportunities that match their skills.
Nadeem Shah, who was deported from Pakistan, told Tolo News, "Back there, we had work and a livelihood. Now that we are here, our skill is in mobile phone repair. There should be opportunities so we can continue this work."
Other deportees from Iran and Pakistan echoed similar demands, seeking employment in fields where they have prior training and experience. (ANI)