Afghan refugees surge at Torkham border after deportations from Pakistan

Record ID: 1969254

  • Title: Afghan refugees surge at Torkham border after deportations from Pakistan
  • Date: 10th April 2025
  • Summary: Afghan refugees surge at Torkham border after deportations from Pakistan SHOTLIST: TORKHAM, PAKISTAN (APR. 10, 2025) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF AFGHANS MIGRATING, FORMING LONG CONVOYS AT TORKHAM BORDER CROSSING 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) AFGHAN REFUGEE HIDAYATULLAH SPEAKING TO REPORTER, SAYING: “The police came to our house, they wanted to imprison our women and children, we have fled from our homes several times in fear and spent nights in the mountains, they confiscated our property and land, in the end, they arrested us and deported us to Afghanistan.” 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS OF AFGHANISTAN ABDUL SALAM HANAFI, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS, SAYING: “All the leaders of the Islamic Emirate are ready to serve the issues of the refugees; our goal is to find ways to provide services to our compatriots who have been forcibly displaced from Pakistan.” SCRIPT A large number of undocumented Afghan migrants gathered at the Torkham border crossing on Thursday, Apr. 10, after being deported from Pakistan under the country’s recently intensified “Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan”. One of the deported Afghan migrants told Anadolu that they were forcibly expelled from Pakistan. Meanwhile, Second Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of Afghanistan Abdul Salam Hanafi, speaking to journalists at the border, stated that efforts were underway to facilitate the return process for undocumented migrants. Pakistan initiated the Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan in October 2023. Between September 2023 and February 2025, at least 844,499 Afghan nationals were deported from Pakistan, according to the Amnesty International. According to a report from the International Organization for Migration in December 2024, more than 1.1 million refugees returned to Afghanistan, with 66% of them being deportations, under the UN framework. Amnesty International South Asia has called on the Pakistani government “to immediately withdraw its decision to deport Afghan refugees and asylum seekers and take corrective action in accordance with international human rights law.” Meanwhile, UN refugee agency UNHCR has called on the international community to assist Pakistan with the refugee situation, stressing that humanitarian aid must continue to support long-term development programs. Writing by Aleyna Cil
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  • Topics: Current or spot news
  • Reuters ID: OWANACAAVIDEO2025041037593753
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
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  • Copyright Holder: Anadolu Agency
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