By Fidel Rahmati in The Khaama Press Online, November 8, 2023
The United Nations Coordination Office for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) has reported that over 20,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from the Turkham and Spin Boldak borders within just three days. According to OCHA, more than 60% of these returnees are children.
This organization, which is associated with the United Nations, has characterized the condition of the migrants expelled from Pakistan as “heartbreaking” according to its recent evaluation.
On Tuesday, the institution shared on the X social media platform that numerous Afghan migrants have been journeying during daylight hours and are uncertain about their return destinations.
The organization states that an urgent budget is required to assist migrants stranded at the border. Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan migrants for several decades.
However, Pakistani authorities announced last month that due to increasing insecurity and the involvement of some Afghan nationals in cooperation with non-state armed groups and organizing attacks, undocumented migrants must return to their country.
It is estimated that around 1.7 million Afghans without valid residence documents live in Pakistan, and they are now at risk of harassment, detention, and forced deportation to Afghanistan.
Despite the persistent calls from international organizations and human rights bodies to halt the mass deportation of Afghan refugees, Pakistan has intensified its efforts to apprehend and expel them.
Recent reports indicate that around 200,000 undocumented Afghan residents have already been sent back to their homeland from Pakistan.
https://www.khaama.com/majority-of-afghan-migrants-expelled-from-pakistan-are-children-un-report/
