Thousands of Afghans return home as Pakistan tightens migration enforcement PHOTO

Thousands of Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan as authorities continue to intensify pressure on undocumented foreign nationals.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MORR) said on Saturday (July 13) that 3,700 Afghan citizens crossed back into Afghanistan in a single day, while 763 Afghan detainees were released from Pakistani prisons over the past week.

According to the ministry, the released prisoners—held on various charges—entered Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak border crossing in the southern province of Kandahar and the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar.

Officials said the returns form part of a broader trend of repatriation driven by increased enforcement measures in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran, where authorities have stepped up efforts to expel undocumented migrants.

The ministry estimates that around six million Afghan nationals remain outside the country, the majority living in Pakistan and Iran, as regional governments tighten residency and documentation requirements.

By Aghakazim Guliyev