Pakistan’s renewed Afghan deportation drive has left thousands of families in anguish, rushing to the Chaman border to escape forced removal. On August 2, 2025, officials in Quetta announced a fresh directive to repatriate Afghans from Balochistan, sparking a mass exodus of 4,000 to 5,000 people, many carrying their lives in worn bags.
“We’re ensuring this is done respectfully,” said Meharullah, a senior Quetta official, though the scenes at the border tell a story of fear and upheaval. Many Afghans, some born in Pakistan or rooted here for decades, face an uncertain future in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Details of Afghan Deportation Drive
The drive, relaunched in April 2025 after starting in 2023, targets over 800,000 Afghans with temporary permits, accusing them of links to rising militancy. Over one million have left since 2023, including 200,000 this year alone. Analysts see this as Pakistan’s attempt to pressure the Taliban to curb border attacks, amid a surge in violence claiming lives at a decade-high.
Public support for the Afghan deportation grows as Pakistan grapples with economic and security crises, but human rights groups warn of the toll on vulnerable families. At the border, stories of loss echo—children born in Pakistan, now strangers to Afghanistan, face a harsh new reality.
As thousands stream across, Pakistan’s Afghan deportation policy underscores a deepening divide, leaving families torn and futures uncertain.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 2nd, 2025
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