The High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Issues under the Taliban administration says that Pakistan and Iran forcibly deported 477 Afghan migrant families, totaling 2,579 individuals, to Afghanistan on Sunday.
According to a statement issued by the commission’s secretariat, 406 families (2,256 individuals) were returned via Torkham, 39 families (209 individuals) via Spin Boldak, 20 families (73 individuals) and 404 individual travelers via the Silk Bridge in Nimroz, and 12 families (41 individuals) via Islam Qala in Herat.
The statement adds that on the same day, 757 families were relocated to their places of origin, while various forms of assistance were also provided to 703 families. According to the information, more than 535,000 Afghanis were paid as transportation costs to 126 families comprising 632 individuals for their travel from Kabul to their respective provinces.
The Taliban stated that medical services, cooked meals, cash assistance, and SIM card facilities were also provided to some returning families.
According to the Taliban, since their return to power, residential plots have been distributed to more than 50,000 families in migrant settlements across various provinces of the country. However, analysts say that this measure is insufficient compared to the millions of returning migrants.
This comes as the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran has intensified in recent months, with many Afghans complaining about mistreatment by police in these countries. They are calling on international organizations to increase pressure on host countries to ensure migrants are treated in accordance with international principles and laws.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
