763 Afghan Migrants Released from Pakistani Prisons and Returned Home

The Taliban’s Ministry of Migrants has announced that in the past week, 763 Afghan migrants have been released from Pakistani prisons and returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar province and the Spin Boldak crossing in Kandahar province.

According to local officials in Nangarhar and Kandahar, 230 of these individuals entered Afghanistan via Torkham, while 533 entered through the Spin Boldak crossing. After completing registration procedures, these individuals received initial assistance before being transferred to their main areas of residence.

According to released information, among those freed are families and individuals who had been detained and imprisoned for varying periods in Pakistan due to lacking legal residency documents. Many of these migrants had been forced to leave Afghanistan in recent years due to insecurity, unemployment, and extensive restrictions within the country.

In recent months, especially amid rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Pakistan has intensified its detention and deportation of undocumented migrants. During this period, thousands of Afghan citizens have been detained or deported, a process that has faced criticism from human rights organizations and warnings about its humanitarian consequences.

Meanwhile, this large-scale return of migrants comes as Afghanistan faces an economic crisis and widespread social restrictions. The Taliban administration has yet to present a clear and sustainable plan for the long-term integration and support of returnees, raising concerns about their livelihood and access to basic services.