UNHCR: 783,900 Migrants Returned from Pakistan Over Past Year

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported the return of 783,900 Afghan migrants from Pakistan over the past year.

UNHCR compiled this data from September 15, 2023, to November 30, 2024.

The UN refugee agency stated that during this period, it provided critical assistance to 116,600 people.

Faramarz Barzin, deputy spokesperson of the UNHCR, said: “More than 116,600 individuals received essential assistance from UNHCR offices. It is noteworthy that nearly half of those receiving assistance from UNHCR were women.”

Some Afghan migrants residing in Pakistan report facing serious challenges and emphasize the need for support from migrant assistance organizations.

At the same time, Iranian media reported the issuance of a unified card for migrants in Iran. According to these reports, the card is designed using electronic infrastructure, aiming for better organization and management of migrants. One side of the card functions as a bank card, while the other includes the migrant’s personal information along with a 10-digit residence code.

“The demand of all Afghan people, including our migrants, is to not be mistreated. The issue of deportation is particularly significant, especially during this season when forced deportation leads to various challenges for our Afghans,” said Sayed Abdul Basit Ansari, a migrant rights activist.

“Distributing a unified identification card for migrants is a positive step for better organization. It is essential to conduct multilateral diplomatic dialogues, particularly in financial support areas, to provide further assistance,” Asifa Stanekzai, another migrant rights activist, told .

Earlier, the International Organization for Migration had reported that over 1.2 million Afghan migrants returned from Pakistan and Iran to Afghanistan in 2024.