Pakistan: Over 260,000 immigrants leave for Afghanistan via Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

 Over 260,000 illegal Afghan immigrants have left Pakistan for Afghanistan using the border crossings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dawn newspaper reported.

Dawn is a Pakistani English-language newspaper.

As per official data, apart from 250,000 Afghans who left for their homeland voluntarily, 6,360 persons were deported from different parts of the country via Pakistan-Afghan border crossings in KP, including 5,228 from KP, 125 from Islamabad, 974 from Punjab and 34 from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The data, shared by the provincial home department, also said that over 250,000 illegal immigrants had left via Torkham in Khyber tribal district, 3,646 via Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan tribal district, whereas 698 persons left Pakistan for Afghanistan via Kharlachi border crossing in Kurram district, as per Dawn.

According to the data, 797 illegal immigrants left for Afghanistan on Saturday.

It added that, according to a recent survey conducted by the district administrations across the province, 761 illegal immigrants were still present in the province.

Meanwhile, the International Rescue Committee, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council, Islamic Relief Worldwide, CARE, Intersos, and some other organisations have highlighted the urgent situation of 5,00,000 individuals who have returned to Afghanistan and are facing critical needs for food, shelter, and employment during the winter, TOLO News reported.

In response, these organisations are urging the international community to enhance support for the families returning to Afghanistan.

“Since the economic situation of Afghanistan is unfortunately dire and a large number of Afghan immigrants enter the country in the winter season, the aid of the international community must be focused on the people of Afghanistan,” TOLO News quoted Abdul Zahur Mudabir, an economist, as saying.

Meanwhile, certain repatriated immigrants have conveyed that they find themselves in challenging circumstances and are calling for increased attention from the interim government.

“They have helped us in Torkham with 10,000 Afghanis, and my family is huge, and the money will not even cover my expenses for a week,” said Mohammad Nayeem, a refugee.

“We request that the Islamic Emirate provide job opportunities for Afghan youth so that they do not travel to other countries because it is very controversial,” said Dawood, a refugee.