For the millions of Afghans who once fled war, poverty, and instability to seek refuge in Pakistan and Iran, the road home has become even more daunting. As both Pakistan and Iran intensify deportation drives, countless Afghans—families and individuals alike—are being forced back across the border into a country struggling to meet even the most basic needs of its own citizens.
According to AFP, the reality awaiting returnees at Afghanistan’s borders is brutally stark. Poverty, environmental challenges, and a severe shortage of housing and jobs have pushed many of those returning into a new and precarious phase of life.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that since September 2023, more than five million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan. Mutya Izora Masqoon, deputy chief of IOM’s Afghanistan mission, notes that this figure represents nearly 10 percent of the country’s total population. Nearly three million people returned last year alone—many after spending decades abroad. “No country can easily absorb such a massive influx,” she said.
IOM surveys reveal that even months after their return, 80 percent of Afghans have no permanent housing. In a study of 1,339 returnees conducted between September 2023 and December 2024, most respondents reported living in makeshift shelters built from stone, mud, or other rudimentary materials.
Findings from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) paint a similarly bleak picture. Of 1,658 returnees surveyed between January and August last year, three-quarters of renters said they could not afford to pay rent. Many families reported having to squeeze up to four people into a single room.
Employment prospects are even dimmer. IOM estimates that only 11 percent of adult returnees from Pakistan and Iran have full-time jobs. According to UNHCR, during the first months of last year, the average monthly income among returnees ranged between just USD 22 and USD 147.
More than half of returning families lack access to stable electricity. IOM warns that female-headed households face the greatest vulnerabilities; nearly half struggle severely to secure safe drinking water.
Afghan deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said more than 3,000 returning families have been allocated housing plots across the country. He added that the process was expedited following a special mid-January meeting with Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Upon arrival in Afghanistan, returnees typically receive transport assistance, a SIM card, and a small cash allowance. Yet these minimal provisions fall far short of what is needed to begin rebuilding their lives amid such overwhelming challenges.
Source: AFP