Despite more than 1 million people returning home from Pakistan by 2025, more than 2 million Afghan refugees are still living there. ‘Dawn’ newspaper has given this report quoting data from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHRC).

‘Dawn’ newspaper quoted agency data as saying that in the month of November alone, 1,71,055 Afghan citizens returned to their country, out of which 37,899 were deported through Chaman, Torkham and Barabacha borders. In the same month, more than 31,500 ‘Proof of Registration’ (POR) cardholders were also repatriated to Afghanistan through UNHCR’s repatriation centres.

In November, increased tension along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border hampered humanitarian aid operations and cross-border movement remained restricted. Due to this, United Nations agencies had to temporarily withdraw from the Chaman border area.

Despite stringent implementation of the third phase of the ‘Illegal Foreign Repatriation Plan’ (IFRP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), UNHCR and its partners ensured essential services. These include the restoration of safe spaces for women, girls and children, as well as continuing legal and mental health support.

The Pakistan government started the IFRP scheme in September 2023, after which the return of Afghans started on a large scale. Undocumented Afghans and ‘Afghan Citizenship Card’ holders were targeted in the first (September 2023) and second (April 2025) phases of the plan. By July 2025, more than 11 lakh Afghans had returned from urban areas and refugee villages under these phases.

So far, about 1.66 lakh ‘POR’ cardholders have returned in the third phase, which started in September 2025. Since the beginning of the scheme, a total of more than 18.2 lakh Afghans have returned home. A total of 171,055 Afghans returned home during November this year, including 37,899 officially registered deportation cases.

The government has canceled official recognition of all 54 refugee villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab provinces and is continuously urging Afghans to return to their country. Meanwhile, UNHCR is lobbying the government to exempt students enrolled in universities from the scheme. Although no formal policy has been issued yet for students, currently university students are being exempted from this process.

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Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has shown a sharp attitude towards Kabul and said that all the Afghan citizens living in Pakistan will have to return to their homeland and the old relations with Afghanistan will no longer be maintained. After this statement the cross border tension has increased further.

Asif said in social media posts and public statements that now Kabul has its own government and system, hence Pakistan’s land and resources belong to 25 crore Pakistanis and due to foreign refugees, pressure on local security and resources is increasing. He also said that Pakistan remained patient for a long time but did not get a positive response from the Afghan side.

Amidst the tension between the two sides, Pakistan and Afghanistan had some time ago agreed to a ceasefire for 48 hours, which was later discussed to be extended for talks and diplomatic efforts. However, there are allegations that immediately after the ceasefire, Pakistan carried out air strikes in Paktika and some surrounding areas, after which the Taliban said that the ceasefire had been broken. These incidents have dealt a blow to peace efforts between the two countries.

Khwaja Asif made a big claim

Khawaja Asif also claimed that Pakistan has given several notices to Afghanistan regarding terrorist incidents taking place from across the border. He cited sending 836 protest letters and 13 démarches and would no longer rely solely on diplomatic appeals or letters. He warned that wherever acts of terrorism are coming from, they will have to pay a heavy price.

Khwaja Asif made these allegations against the Taliban government

Asif also accused the Taliban government ruling in Kabul of working in India’s interests and a conspiracy was being hatched against Pakistan due to the collusion between India and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). India has completely rejected this allegation and the allegations and counter-allegations being made by regional players have made the situation more complicated.

The defense minister also said that Pakistan has suffered major losses in the humanitarian and security sectors since the Taliban came to power in 2021; He presented the count of violence during this period by mentioning 10,347 terrorist incidents and 3,844 casualties. Asif said that if there is an attack from Afghan parts, Pakistan is ready to give a strict and decisive reply.

According to local and international media reports, efforts to continue diplomacy are underway: talks are being raised about possible negotiations and mediation in Qatar to control border violence and find a diplomatic way forward. Nevertheless, airstrikes and accusations against each other have intensified regional tensions and the threat of renewed violence remains.

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Pakistan Reaction: Pakistan has lodged a strong protest against the joint statement issued between India and Afghanistan in New Delhi on October 10. In this statement, Pakistan has expressed strong objection to declaring Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India and has called it a violation of the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan, it was said that declaring Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India is a clear violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan said that this joint statement of India and Afghanistan is extremely insensitive towards the sacrifices of the people of Kashmir and their fight for the right to self-determination.

Expressed protest by summoning Afghanistan’s ambassador

Pakistan summoned Afghanistan’s ambassador to Islamabad regarding this joint statement and formally registered its serious concerns. Additional Secretary (West Asia and Afghanistan) of Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry told the Ambassador that calling Jammu and Kashmir a part of India is unacceptable.

Pakistan-Afghanistan also clash over terrorism

In the joint statement, Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki had said that terrorism is an internal problem of Pakistan. Pakistan has also reacted sharply to this statement. Pakistan termed Muttaki’s statement as beyond facts and irresponsible. The Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan has told the Afghan government several times that terrorist elements named “Fitna-e-Khawarij” and “Fitna-e-Hindustan” are working against Pakistan from Afghan soil.

The statement said that by putting the responsibility on terrorism on Pakistan, the interim Afghan government cannot be freed from its responsibilities. “Afghanistan’s land should not be used against Pakistan.”

Also raised the issue of return of Afghan refugees

Pakistan also said in its statement that it has been hosting about four million Afghans for four decades. Now that peace is returning to Afghanistan, Afghans living in Pakistan without permission should return to their country. The Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan has the right to control the presence of foreign nationals within its border, and this is in line with international norms. Along with this, Pakistan claimed that it is also issuing medical and study visas to Afghans from humanitarian point of view and will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood.

‘We want a stable and prosperous Afghanistan’

The statement said that Pakistan wants to see a peaceful, stable and regionally connected prosperous Afghanistan. In this spirit, Pakistan has provided trade, economic and connectivity facilities to Afghanistan. However, Pakistan made it clear that its first responsibility is the safety of its citizens and Afghanistan will have to take concrete steps to stop its territory from being used by anti-Pakistan terrorist elements.

Muttaki said- Pakistan should solve its own problems

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki, who is visiting India, said on Pakistan’s objections after the joint statement of India and Afghanistan, ‘We understand that Pakistan has done wrong. Problems are not solved this way. We have kept the doors open for talks, but Pakistan should solve its own problems. The Foreign Minister of Afghanistan also said that peace has come in Afghanistan after 40 years and this attitude of Pakistan is not right. This statement has proved uncomfortable for Pakistan, due to which it has become nervous.

India and Afghanistan had condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

It is noteworthy that in a joint statement issued on October 10, India and Afghanistan had condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 people were killed. Both countries condemned terrorism in all its forms and stressed the need to enhance peace, stability and mutual trust in the region.

Afghans Expelled from Iran: According to the United Nations Agency IOM (International Organization for Migration), 508,426 Afghan civilians crossed the Iran-Afghan border between June 24 and July 9. Most of them were laborers without documents who had been living in Iran for years. This step was taken under the Iranian exile policy announced in March 2025.

Iran intensified exile after a conflict with Israel
This step has been taken at a time when Iran’s struggle with Israel has recently ended. Local government media has claimed that some Afghan citizens spied for Israel. International human rights organizations and experts have expressed deep concern about this campaign. Critics say that it is like a kind of collective punishment, misconduct and political gains to make the weaker population a goat of sacrifice.

Crowd and destitute children on the border
A video of thousands of returning Afghans was seen in the video from Islam Kala Border Crossing (Western Afghanistan). The capacity of relief centers has been completely filled and many children without parents have also arrived. IOM’s mission chief Mihians Park told CNN, ‘Thousands of people are standing in the sun, and the heat of Herat is very intense. Last week, about 400 such children came to us who were separated alone or from their family. This is a very large number. He said that 2.5 lakh Afghan citizens were deported in the first week of July itself, which is the largest weekly figure of 2025.

Complaints of assault and inhuman behavior in custody
A young Afghan youth Bashir said that he was arrested by the Irani police in Tehran. Bashir said ‘I was kept in custody for two days. First he recovered 1 crore Toman (about 200 dollars) from me. Then it was asked to give $ 50 more to the detention center. There were about 200 people there. Used to kill and abuse us. Food and water were not even given.

11 year old family
An 11 -year -old Afghan girl Parija said that ‘We spent 6 years in Iran and were also legal documents. Still we were expelled from school and asked to leave the country. They told us to get the exit letter and go back.

Accusation of espionage or cleaning of workers?
Iranian media claims that Afghan migrants spy for Israel, but critics say they are allegations without evidence, and laborers who have been part of the informal economy are being targeted.

UN Representative Richard Bennet’s sharp criticism
The United Nations Special Representative Richard Bennett wrote on the X, ‘Hundreds of Afghans and religious-ethnic minorities have been detained in Iran. In the media, he is being described as a traitor and hate, inhuman language is being used against him.

Iran government rescue
The Iran government defended the exile campaign and said, ‘We have always tried to be a good host. But national security is our priority and those who are living illegally, they will have to go back.