The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that India has delivered family tents to Afghan returnees as part of its ongoing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) received the tents to assist with shelter and rehabilitation for the returnees. Afghanistan has seen a surge in returnees, particularly from Pakistan, following Islamabad’s increased efforts to repatriate refugees and undocumented migrants.
An enforcement campaign has commenced after the July 10 deadline for Afghans lacking valid visas to depart voluntarily. The Taliban’s Secretariat of the High Commission for Addressing Returnees’ Issues reported over 4,000 Afghans deported from Pakistan within a 24-hour period. Notably, the number of Afghan refugees returning daily from Pakistan has surpassed 10,000, as per officials at the Hamza Baba transit point in Landi Kotal.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan, Qaiser Khan Afridi, expressed apprehension over Pakistan’s decision to forcibly repatriate Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Afghans to their homeland. UNHCR has urged Pakistan to exempt Afghans with ongoing international protection needs from voluntary return, especially vulnerable groups like female heads of households, women and girls in educational institutions, ethnic and religious minorities, human rights defenders, journalists, artists, and transgender individuals.
