As close to 500,000 Afghans have endured forced return from Pakistan, the Danish Refugee Council is conveying the voices of Afghans who, once again, face displacement.
In the wake of the Pakistani government's announcement that they will start deporting all undocumented Afghans from November 1st, Afghan families were left in a state of fear and uncertainty. Many had sought refuge in Pakistan over the past decades, fleeing conflict and instability in their country.
However, this abrupt order shattered the stability they had managed to carve out, compelling them to abandon their homes, possessions, and the lives they had built.
Displaced once again, these Afghans families embark on an unforeseen journey to attempt integrating and rebuilding their lives in an already struggling country, Afghanistan.
Today, close to 500,000 people have been forced to return to Afghanistan, and more are expected to arrive at the borders in 2024 as the Pakistani Government is planning the next phases of its mass deportation plan.
The urgency of this situation is etched on the faces of families who had to rush back to a country they had left, some two to four years, other two to four decades ago, unsure of what awaits them on the other side of the border.
The experiences shared with DRC capture the emotionally and physically draining journey of Afghans making a gruelling return from Pakistan.
From the wrench of leaving the only homes they have known, to the arduous journey back to Afghanistan, and the subsequent ordeals faced upon their return, this story reflects the intersection of searching for a safe home with the harsh reality of political decisions. It resonates with the profound human struggle for dignity and stability in the face of relentless adversity.
“He said that we are illegal in the country, and that we had to leave now.” says Noor, as she recounts the moment her family was forced out of their home in Pakistan.
In the crowded bylanes of Karachi and Peshawar, Afghans face harsh conditions, with reports of abuse and harassment becoming distressingly common.
While the Pakistani communities had been traditionally welcoming and supportive of Afghans in search of safety, some of these relations took a darker turn after the Government’s announcement.
Security forces started are now routinely conducting intrusive search operations, often under the cover of the night, targeting locations where they know Afghan families are settled.
In the midst of this tumultuous environment, some unscrupulous homeowners and employers are exploiting the vulnerability of Afghan families.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the Government’s order, they engage in a variety of abuses and deceptions, further compounding the challenges faced by those already grappling with forced displacement.
Noor*, a mother of six, vividly recounted the harrowing conditions of her family’s rushed departure during the month of November.
The police came to our home one night during a search operation. I was beaten, and they arrested my son. We had to pay 60,000 rupees to get him out. A few days later, the house owner evicted us. He forced all the women and the children out, put all our belongings outside of our home. He said that we are illegal in the country, and that we had to leave now.
/ Noor, an Afghan mother who was forced to return to Afghanistan with her family in November 2023
Forced eviction from their homes became a bitter reality for many, with families leaving behind not just their dwellings but also cherished belongings accumulated over the years.
Pakistani authorities are also reportedly deploying threats and harassment tactics, hovering dangerously close to deportation, to ensure Afghan families return by their own means.
Ali* endured one of them. One evening, he received the agonizing news that two of his sons got detained. At the police station, he was faced with a decision: pack immediately and leave for Afghanistan by the next morning, and his sons will be freed, or stay in the country and his sons will be arrested, detained and ultimately deported.
There was not much to do but comply.
“We left Afghanistan to escape poverty. Back in Pakistan I worked as a daily seller using a cart. My two children were detained, and we were left no choice but to leave immediately, even though we did not have the means.”
Ali, an Afghan father who was forced to return to Afghanistan with his family in November 2023
Others got deported without even being able to tell their families. Fazal, 43 years old, was one of them: “I was arrested outside of my apartment and detained for 3 days. They deported me to the border without even letting me to go to my family and tell them what was happening. They are still there alone.”
Though it is important to note that forced return and deportation has been a looming threat for Afghans for many years, even before the latest plan announced by the Pakistani government. In Torkham, near the border crossing point, we met with Abdul*.
Abdul was deported by the Pakistani authorities back in June 2023. However, he and his family did not receive any assistance upon their arrival at that time, so he came back to Torkham in the hopes to receive some help this time.
When he left Afghanistan 5 years ago, he was fleeing conflict with his wife and two children, as his village came under ISIS control. In a poignant reflection on his experience, Abdul*, shared with us the conditions that led to his family’s departure.
In Pakistan, Abdul was working as a hotel cleaner and kitchen help. “One day, the police came and asked for my documents. As I did not have any, I was arrested,” He stayed 37 horrific nights in prison.
Abdul is currently waiting at the reception center in Torkham in the hopes of finding assistance for his family. Torkham Reception Center, Nangarhar, 27 November 2023. @DRC, Manon Radosta
I was kept in one room with 17 others. We only received junk food, were allowed 20 minutes of sunlight per day, and faced physical torture. I was regularly beaten. Officers kept asking me why I came to Pakistan and that I am illegal here. They told me that they should beat me as hard as possible, so I do not think about coming again.
/ Abdul*, an Afghan man who was deported from Pakistan in June 2023
To escape the dire situation, Abdul’s family returned to Afghanistan before him with his uncle’s family, leaving most of their belongings behind. As they can barely make ends meet, and despite the horrors he experienced there, Abdul would even consider going back.
“I am afraid, but I am responsible for my family, I need to provide for them, one way or another."
Abdul, Ali and Noor’s stories mirror the ones of half a million Afghan who embarked on a long journey back home, where even on the road a new struggle began.
Some of them had documents in Pakistan that should have protected them for the forced returns; but for those who had citizen cards or IDs, they got snatched from them by the authorities, and destroyed.
A truck that just passed the Torkham border crossing point and is carrying some belongings of Afghan families who were forced to return to Pakistan. Torkham Zero Point, Nangarhar, 23 November 2023. @DRC / Manon Radosta
“We did not lose anything on the rest of the journey as we had nothing left already.” said Aziz and Adel who travelled together back to Afghanistan, after having to give everything they had to security forces at a checkpoint.
In a rushed necessity, Afghan families embark on a gruelling journey that often takes several days and is very costly.
Most of the time, they lose part, if not all of their most valuable belongings along the way, either to pay for the transport or because they get confiscated or damaged along the way. Saraj Ahmad travelled from Baluchistan to Ghazni city, in the centre of Afghanistan.
He left 40 years ago to escape the war. To afford a truck, he and his family had to sell the majority of their belongings. One of his brothers took the risk of staying behind to try selling their house but they have little hope:
“No one is buying it because they know that they could take it for free after his deportation” said Saraj Ahmad to us, knowing the bitter reality of their situation.
In many cases, children and pregnant women bore the brunt of the trip, not only having to leave everything familiar behind, but the difficult roads and weather conditions left many sick. When we talked to Zahra*, in a house she has temporarily settled with her six children in the outskirts of Jalalabad, she shared her deep concerns about her children health and wellbeing:
“During the journey back, we travelled with ten other families in one big truck. The children got sick due to the cold weather, and they are still sick. I had to take my youngest one to the clinic today to get checked out.”
Photo 1: Two children showing one of the only toys they have left with them. Kuz Shekh Mesri Camp, Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. 26 November 2023 @DRC / Manon Radosta Photo 2: Saliha*, mother of 6, is covered with the traditional burka which is hiding a small baby under it. Her youngest child is barely 18 days old and was born shortly after she arrived back in Afghanistan along with her husband and 6 children. Kuz Shekh Mesri Camp, Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. 26 November 2023 @DRC / Manon Radosta
Amidst the chaotic return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, inflated prices from opportunistic truck drivers and greedy owners, extortion practices from security forces also emerged as a grim facet of their plight.
Many of the families we talked to mentioned having to pay a fee to be allowed to use a truck for their belongings, pay fees at different checkpoint on the road to be allowed to pass, as well as paying a fee before crossing the border back to Afghanistan for overstaying in Pakistan without documentation.
Many Afghans, with no financial means, were also forced to undertake the journey already on credit, ending up being in debt before they even crossed the border. Ali and Malek*, another Afghani returnee who joined Ali in the journey back, are still unable to pay their driver.
Now, the truck driver is still waiting in the reception centre for his money – 65,000 rupees for both our families. We cannot pay him, so we will have to use the assistance provided at the transit centre for that.
/ Ali and Malek, two Afghan fathers who were forced to return to Afghanistan in November 2023.
Trucks with belongings of several families are waiting for Afghans to obtain some assistance and define the place they will go to settle. Torkham Reception Center, Nangarhar, 23 November 2023. @DRC, Manon Radosta
For Aziz and Abdel, two brothers who returned along with the widow of their third sibling, they missed the deadline.
When their sons got arrested on October 28, and they were told to choose between leaving the country immediately or see them put in jail, there was no hesitation. They left immediately, but the journey took three long days.
On October 31st, at midnight, they were still on their way. They were stopped by police who told them that they missed the deadline. In order not to be arrested and put in jail, they were asked for a fee of 10,000 rupees per person.
They counted even the small babies. Aziz and Adel gave everything they had and were let go. Now living in tents with their 46 family members in a village of Kunar province, they are fully dependent on their neighbours' mercy.
View of an informal settlement where some Afghan families returning from Pakistan took refuge in Kunar. 30 November 2023. @DRC, Manon Radosta
“We have no plans, no prospects. I don’t know how we will survive the winter.” regretted Zahra* when she told us about her current situation.
Very poor, they have no relatives that can help them to find shelter and food. “Now we are just waiting for the favor of Allah.” she added.
Many of the families we have talked to spoke of their desperation for being forced to return to a country where they have nowhere to go to: no shelter, no land and limited support networks.
Mariam*, a mother of five, found herself sharing one tiny space with her 11 family members, that they can barely even afford.
Mariam is telling us her story in the open area of her house in an IDP settlement that she can barely afford. Kuz Shekh Mesri Camp, Jalalabad, Nangarhar. 26 November 2023. @DRC, Manon Radosta
The money we received at the border was used to pay for our transportation costs. After spending five nights in transit camps, someone helped us find a house for 1,000 AFG per month. The house has no water facilities. Now, the owner is asking for the money, but we have nothing left. I am very worried about the rent fees. What will we even find to eat?
/ Mariam, an an Afghan mother who was forced to return to Afghanistan with her family in November 2023
Similar to Mariam, Saliha*, a mother of six, and Bibi*, who has 7 brothers and sisters, found refuge in the house of one of their relatives: Saliha’s father-in-law who is also Bibi’s grandfather. Now they are sharing his small house with 30 other people.
While they are happy to have a space to live, they constantly worry about the condition of the house.
“The house conditions are very bad, and it needs repairs. We fear the roof will fall on us one day.” Bibi confided to us.
Bibi and the room she is staying in with her 10 family members. We can see the wooden stick which is stabilising the roof. Kuz Shekh Mesri Camp, Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. 26 November 2023. @DRC / Manon Radosta
Without any sources of income, and without any prospects of finding work, many families returning are forced to resort to negative coping mechanisms.
“Children are out all day collecting plastic that they then sell.” shared Mariam. Saliha has also no other way of making ends meet but to send her 12-year-old son to collect plastic and sell it.
“My husband has not been able to find work in the city. I hope he can find some work soon so my son can go back to school.” she said, while looking at her children playing in front of her house.
As uncertainty and fear shrouds this chapter in their lives, the people we talked to all share the same needs and hope for the same things: a place to live and protect them and work opportunities so they can support their families.
As Afghans navigate the arduous path of returning to a country they are told to call home again, their stories echo the urgent call for comprehensive solutions, international cooperation, and sustained support to rebuild shattered lives.
The forced return from Pakistan to Afghanistan of half a million people brings to light the multifaceted challenges faced by returnees, emphasizing the imperative need to address their needs, and find long-term solutions to their displacement.