Kabul [Afghanistan], July 5 : A large number of Afghans recently deported from Iran are facing severe challenges, including homelessness, unemployment, and lack of immediate support, TOLO News reported.
TOLO News stated that returnees have urged the caretaker government to take urgent and concrete steps to address their plight. They stressed that the trauma of exile should not be worsened by domestic hardship.
Mohammad Sharif, who was deported from Iran, said: "We are currently lost, unsure of where to go or stay. I have three children, my wife is with me, and we have no job or shelter. We truly feel abandoned. Our only request from the Islamic Emirate is to find a solution for us."
Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has stated that the extension of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghan migrants is under review. Authorities have been instructed not to take any action against PoR cardholders until a final decision is made.
Malak Awal Shinwari, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: "Among the issues migrants face are the actions of Pakistani police, especially against those who have PoR cards. These individuals should not be expelled, yet in some areas, the police are creating difficulties for Afghan migrants."
Another Afghan migrant in Pakistan, Atiqullah Mansoor, said: "Our request to the Islamic Emirate is to act as soon as possible and engage with the host country's foreign ministry to simplify the visa and extension process for Afghan migrants."
TOLO News reported that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that the mass return of over 1.4 million people this year has created an unprecedented need for emergency humanitarian assistance.
In a statement, the UNHCR said: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is urgently seeking funding to protect over 1.4 million people who have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan so far this year, including over 1 million from Iran."
Iranian media, quoting the governor of Taybad, reported that 38,000 Afghan migrants are being deported daily through the Dogharoon border crossing. Over 500,000 people have already been expelled through this route.
Nazar Nazari, a migration rights activist, told TOLO News: "Supporting migrants is a moral, humanitarian, and essential responsibility. The international community must take strong and effective action in this regard."