Afghan deportees allege police mistreatment in Pakistan, urge aid as camps shut

Many deportees are calling on the Islamic Emirate and aid organisations to provide shelter and support.

Shireen Del, a deportee from Pakistan, said: "It has been twelve days since we came. We are migrants; we came from Lahore. There were many problems there. Now we are going to Kunduz, but I have nothing."

Another returnee, Ahmad, said: "We came from Pakistan. I have no land, I have nothing. The Islamic Emirate must support us."

Shamila, who was also deported, said: "The police created many problems there, and the situation was very difficult."

Meanwhile, Pakistani media, quoting the federal government, reported that Islamabad has closed five Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that had been operational for four decades.

Three were located in Haripur, one in Chitral, and another in Upper Dir. The Panian camp in Haripur alone had hosted more than 100,000 refugees, according to the reports.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said that more than 2.8 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan so far in 2025.

In its update, the agency stated: "More than 2.8 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan have returned so far in 2025, with recent earthquakes in Afghanistan exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Although Encashment Centres in Afghanistan remain closed due to restrictions on female staff, UNHCR continues to operate in border areas, providing cash assistance and other support."

Tolo News further reported that refugee rights activist Nazar Nazari warned the situation will worsen following the camp closures.

"With the closure of several Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the difficulties of refugees will increase significantly. These camps were a safe place for thousands of families, especially women, children, and the elderly to live and receive basic aid," he said.

Earlier, the Commission for Refugee Affairs reported that in just the past week alone, 48,024 Afghans had returned from Iran and Pakistan, according to Tolo News. (ANI)