The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Sunday that over 250,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran in April 2025, driven by increasing pressure on undocumented migrants in both countries.

The agency raised concerns about the welfare of returnees, particularly women and girls, who face restricted access to education, jobs, and freedom of movement.

“Among them are women and girls, who face an uncertain future,” UNHCR stated on its official X account, emphasizing that all returns must be “voluntary, safe, and dignified.” The surge follows Pakistan’s plan to expel approximately 3 million Afghan nationals in 2025, many of whom lack legal documentation, and Iran’s intensified crackdown on undocumented foreigners, pushing them toward voluntary departure or deportation.

Pakistan and Iran host an estimated 7 million Afghan refugees, primarily undocumented, who have fled decades of conflict, instability, and economic hardship in Afghanistan. However, Afghanistan’s ongoing challenges—high poverty, unemployment, and limited services—raise fears that returnees, especially vulnerable groups, will struggle to reintegrate.

Human rights organizations have warned of dire living conditions and inadequate protections for returnees. UNHCR and humanitarian agencies are urging host nations to respect international refugee protections and calling for increased global support to bolster Afghanistan’s economy and aid reintegration efforts for returning refugees. (ILKHA)