Tens of thousands of Afghans are facing dire conditions in makeshift camps after crossing the border from Pakistan, an Islamic Relief assessment team reports. Many are arriving in Afghanistan without any shelter, food, cash or water, and families told us they had to leave all their possessions – including animals and household utensils – behind as they cannot afford to bring them.
More families are expected to arrive in the coming days and months, following the Pakistan government's announcement that all undocumented individuals and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) must leave the country by 31 March 2025 or face deportation. Since 1 April, at least 44,900 people have returned, with around 58% of them children, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Ramin Sadat, Islamic Relief’s multimedia producer, was part of an assessment team at the Torkham border crossing in eastern Afghanistan. He says: "I have previously covered the 2023 and 2024 returnee influx, but this new wave is unlike anything I've seen before. People arrive in droves, covered in dust, crammed onto trucks, and facing a barren border with no basic services in sight. The first thing that greets them is a harsh, windy storm swirling with dust.”
The influx is likely to add to the congestion in already overcrowded camps, and it comes as global cuts to humanitarian funding have forced many essential services in Afghanistan to close, including health facilities and food distributions.
Many of the newly arrived families have undergone incredibly difficult journeys from across Pakistan. With spring rains beginning and scorching summers approaching, they will soon encounter extreme temperatures that will put them in a precarious situation.
Karim*, a father of five, told Islamic Relief how his family rushed to leave Pakistan on 10 April:
“I have lived in Pakistan for 30 years. I married and had all my children there. I could not bring all my belongings with me because the fare was too high. I sold them at throw-away prices. We arrived here at the Omari Camp. There are no services at all. Please, we need your assistance to survive these difficult times.”
Many of the new arrivals have lived in Pakistan for decades after seeking refuge there, fleeing conflicts and instability in their homeland. They include children who were born in Pakistan and have never been to Afghanistan. Many others no longer have close family members in Afghanistan or have not visited for many years. They are not truly ‘returning home’ as they hardly know Afghanistan and have no homes or livelihoods to kickstart their lives here.
Ramin Sadat says some of the young new arrivals do not even speak Afghan languages: “I spoke to many children, their eyes filled with uncertainty, and most of them hardly spoke any of the 2 widely spoken local languages. My heart aches for them. Settling down in Afghanistan will be a monumental challenge."
Islamic Relief plans to support newly arrived families who are crossing through both Torkham in Nangarhar province and Spin Boldak in Kandahar province, working in close coordination with provincial authorities and UNHCR. As well as food and shelter, Islamic Relief’s assessment team found that newly arrived families need household items such as kitchen appliances, blankets, and mats, as well as access to education. Many returnees lack proper identification documents, which impedes their access to essential services and protection. There is also a high need for items such as clothing, bedding, water containers and lighting.