Mass Expulsion: Afghans Forced to Return Home as Pakistan Cracks Down

As Pakistan's Nov. 1 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country approaches, thousands of Afghans are returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The Taliban government reported that around 60,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan since September 23, and recent daily returnee figures are three times higher than normal. Pakistan, home to over 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, about 1.7 million of whom are undocumented, has announced its intention to expel those who do not leave. The threat of expulsion has led to a rise in state-backed harassment, tearing families apart and pushing even Afghans with valid papers to leave. The UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have expressed concerns about the protection risks faced by women and girls forced to leave, while restrictions in Afghanistan have led to shrinking employment opportunities for women. The influx of returning migrants and refugees has also put pressure on already limited resources in Afghanistan.