PESHAWAR (South Asian Desk) — Afghan refugees Pakistan expulsion accelerated on Tuesday with authorities shutting border villages amid fresh Taliban Pakistan border tensions. Over 662,700 Afghans have returned since January. Islamabad cites security threats. Kabul rejects blame. The move displaces thousands more.
Afghan refugees ‘ expulsion from Pakistan strains South Asia’s fragile migration web. Pakistan hosts 1.4 million registered Afghans. Returns swell Taliban coffers and border camps; India eyes spillover. Regional stability hinges on de-escalation. Economic burdens mount as remittances dry up.
Pakistan Closes Afghan Refugee Villages
Pakistan closes Afghan refugee villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Officials razed settlements near the Torkham crossing last week. Families like that of 45-year-old farmer Noor Meer packed tents overnight. “We feel illegal in our own homes,” Meer told reporters. Troops enforced evictions at dawn.
The action followed clashes on October 18. Pakistani forces shelled Taliban positions after incursions. Two soldiers died. Kabul vowed retaliation. Interior Ministry teams led the sweeps. They targeted undocumented holders of Afghan Citizen Cards. Over 5,000 residents were affected in three sites.
Government data indicate 662,700 voluntary returns as of September 18. Forced cases rose 20 percent in October. United Nations agencies tracked 10,000 border crossings last week. Most lacked funds for travel. Women and children comprised 60 percent.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior issued a statement. “Pakistan has hosted Afghans for 45 years with generosity,” read the release. “Security demands action against threats.” Officials link refugees to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan attacks. The group claimed 14 bombings in 2025.
Meer’s family fled Soviet bombs in 1980. They built lives in Peshawar markets. Now they trek to Nangarhar. “Taliban Pakistan border tensions refugees trap us,” Meer said. Aid groups reported beatings during roundups. Human Rights Watch condemned the haste.
Taliban Pakistan Border Tensions Refugees
Taliban Pakistan border tensions and refugee escalation occurred after a September ceasefire collapsed. Drones struck Afghan posts on October 15. Islamabad accused Kabul of shielding militants. The Taliban denied involvement. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on social media. “Pakistan sows chaos with false claims.”
Cross-border fire has killed 12 civilians since August. Afghan refugees ‘ expulsion from Pakistan serves as leverage. Islamabad expelled 850,000 people since 2023. The 2025 tally hit 662,700. The International Organization for Migration noted sharp rises following the clashes.
Refugees navigate minefields. Fatima, a 28-year-old mother, carried her infant across the Spin Boldak border. “Bullets fly while we run,” she recounted. Her husband held a Proof of Registration card. Yet, the police detained him for having expired papers. Releases demand fines of PKR 50,000.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees urged pauses. “Returns to unsafe conditions violate principles,” Filippo Grandi stated in a September brief. Afghanistan faces famine. 23 million need aid. Taliban restrictions bar women from jobs. Pakistan maintains a voluntary nature. Data contradicts claims. Flow monitoring detected 40 percent of cases under duress. Border agents logged bruises and empty pockets. Khyber officials prepared holding centres for 2,000 daily.
Afghan Refugees Pakistan Expulsion Surges
Forced Afghan returns from Pakistan intensified with village shutdowns. Authorities invalidated 300,000 cards in September. Evictions hit Karachi slums too. Over 15,000 urban Afghans boarded buses to Chaman. Drivers are charged PKR 10,000 per family.
A UNHCR-IOM update detailed trends. From September 15 to October 11, the number of arrests exceeded 8,000. Detentions lasted for days; releases were contingent upon signatures claiming a choice. “Coercion masks as consent,” the report warned. Taliban reception strained. Camps at Torkham overflowed. Officials distributed flour sacks. Yet jobs are scarce. Returnees sold assets for PKR 20,000 passages. Remittances fell 30 percent. Families borrowed from kin.
Islamabad’s plan was launched in 2023. Violence surged. 2025 marked the deadliest decade peak. 24 suicide blasts linked to Afghan soil. Pakistan expelled 1.7 million undocumented immigrants by mid-year. Registered holders now face scrutiny. Humanitarian corridors opened sporadically. Aid trucks crossed thrice weekly. Yet, the rains flooded routes. Cholera cases rose 15 percent in camps. Doctors Without Borders treated 500 weekly.
South Asian watchers note ripples. Iran mirrored moves. 1.6 million Afghans returned there. India hosted 10,000 skilled visas. Flows could triple if unchecked.
Background: Long Shadow of Hospitality
Pakistan welcomed 4 million Afghans post-1979. Waves followed 9/11 and the 2021 Taliban rise. Billions in aid flowed. Tensions brewed over TTP sanctuaries. Expulsions began in November 2023. Deadlines extended thrice. March 2025 marked the final push. Coalition shifts hardened policy. Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti vowed completion. “No more extensions,” he declared in April. Violence justified haste. Yet courts challenged detentions.
What’s Next: Diplomatic Thaw or Escalation
Talks resume in Kabul next month. Envoys eye readmission pacts. The United Nations mediates. Returns may slow if ceasefires hold. Yet border patrols doubled. Afghan refugees ‘ expulsion from Pakistan endures as a flashpoint. Subcontinent peace demands shared burdens.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, October 22nd, 2025
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