For millions of Afghans who fled decades of war, poverty, and instability in their homeland to seek refuge in Pakistan and Iran, returning home has become an even harsher ordeal. Recent intensification of deportation campaigns by Pakistan and Iran has forced these individuals—whether with families or alone—back to a country struggling to provide even basic sustenance for its own citizens.
According to the French news agency AFP, returnees face a stark reality upon crossing the border. Poverty, environmental crises, lack of housing, and scarce employment opportunities collectively plunge returning Afghans into a new realm of uncertainty.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that since September 2023, over half a million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan. Mutya Izora Maskun, Deputy Chief of IOM Afghanistan, noted that this number represents roughly 10% of the country’s total population. “Managing such a massive influx is challenging for any nation,” he said, adding that nearly 3 million people returned in the past year alone, many of whom had spent decades abroad.
IOM surveys indicate that even several months after returning, 80% of these individuals do not have permanent housing. A survey of 1,339 returnees from September 2023 to December 2024 found that most are forced to live in temporary shelters constructed from mud, stone, or other rudimentary materials.
UNHCR data mirrors this grim picture. Between January and August of last year, three-quarters of tenants among 1,658 returnees were unable to pay rent, with many families crammed four to a room.
Employment opportunities are equally bleak. IOM reports that only 11% of working-age returnees from Pakistan and Iran have full-time jobs. According to UNHCR, average monthly incomes for returnees in the first months of last year ranged between just $22 and $147.
More than half of returnee households lack permanent electricity connections, and female-headed households are among the most vulnerable. Nearly half of these families struggle to access safe drinking water, according to IOM.
The Afghan government, however, has made some efforts to provide relief. Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that over 3,000 returnee families across the country have been allocated land plots. He added that the process was accelerated following a special meeting with Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in mid-January.
Upon arrival, returnees typically receive limited support, including transportation assistance, a SIM card, and a small cash grant. Yet the reality is that this aid falls far short of what is needed to confront the challenges of rebuilding a life in Afghanistan.
Source: AFP