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At least 350 Afghan nationals, including women, children, and the elderly, were released from Pakistani prisons and handed over to Afghan authorities through the Torkham border crossing in the last 24 hours, Tolo News reported.
According to officials in Nangarhar, the released individuals were detained in various Pakistani cities, including Punjab and Islamabad. Some of them were reportedly arrested despite possessing valid immigration documents, the Afghan news outlet said. Bakht Jamal Gawhar, head of migrant transfer at Torkham, told Tolo News, "In the past 24 hours, 350 Afghan detainees were handed over to us. Among them were children, women, and the elderly. Some have family members still in Pakistan. Most deportees even had legal documents." Several deportees have alleged mistreatment by Pakistani authorities. Speaking to Tolo News, Abdul Salam, one of the released prisoners, said, "They took my money and my phone. I had a business, accounts, and a warehouse. Everything was left behind. My family is still in Pakistan and now I'm here alone." Another deportee, Abdullah, recounted: "They also took my money. I was kept in jail for six days and then deported to Afghanistan. The treatment was awful. I suffered a lot." Tolo News also spoke to Ebadullah, a 25-year-old who had lived in Pakistan for 12 years and was suddenly arrested at work. "They took us to the police station where we stayed for two nights. My family still doesn't know where I am. Then they moved us to Haji Camp jail for a day. Now I've been transferred to Torkham," he said. Highlighting the broader scope of returns, the High Commission for Refugee Affairs stated that 3,467 individuals were repatriated from Iran and 461 from Pakistan just yesterday, Tolo News added. The sudden deportations and alleged mistreatment have deepened the anguish of Afghan families, many of whom remain separated, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and humane migration policies in the region. (ANI)
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