Around 613 Afghan migrant families returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran between February 21-28, local media in Kabul reported on Saturday.

The data cited by Afghanistan’s Amu TV revealed that Iran expelled 501 families while Pakistan deported 112, either forcibly or voluntarily.

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Earlier this week, speaking to TOLO news, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal stated that over 2.1 million Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan in 2024.

Commenting on the forced deportation and expulsion from Pakistan and Iran, Jamal said, “We should be able to set with those countries, and with Afghanistan, to make sure that they come home in a systematic manner and in a manner that contributes to stability, to economic growth and to peace inside Afghanistan, this is our appeal.”

He further urged authorities to treat people with dignity and make sure that those who want to go home are doing so voluntarily. If their movement is not organised and contributes to stability, then it will have a situation of chaos on both sides of the border.

Zakiullah Muhammadi, an Afghan University professor, said that historical grievances between Afghanistan and these two countries will deepen and could even lead to conflict if the deportation process is not halted or a proper framework is not established to ensure the dignified return of Afghans.

Fleeing from war and conflict in their homeland, migrants from Afghanistan have taken refuge mainly in Pakistan and Iran for decades now. The return of the Afghan refugees amidst the rising food crisis and instability in Afghanistan will further add to their dilemma. These Afghan refugees, who are either expelled or forcibly deported, also faced severe abuse and harassment in Pakistan.