Pakistan Expels 8,000 Afghan Migrants in One Day as Deportations Surge

Pakistan Expels 8,000 Afghan Migrants in One Day as Deportations Surge
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Pakistan expelled at least 8,000 Afghan migrants on Sunday amid an intensified crackdown on undocumented foreigners, Amu TV reported. The Taliban-run commission for refugees said the deportees crossed into Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak and Bahramcha border points in the south — marking one of the highest single-day deportation figures in recent months.

The mass expulsions come amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban following eight days of cross-border clashes earlier this month. In response, Pakistan’s prime minister ordered security agencies to accelerate the removal of undocumented Afghan nationals.

At the same time, Iranian authorities deported 480 Afghan citizens through the Islam Qala and Pul-e-Abrisham border crossings, according to the Taliban commission. These returns included both voluntary and forced repatriations.

Iran has justified ongoing deportations by citing concerns over irregular labor and border management. Majid Ahmadi, Director-General of Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, announced new regulations allowing Afghan laborers to enter Iran only through work visas issued by the Iranian Embassy in Kabul under a “Kafeel” or sponsorship system.

The system requires Iranian employers to register online, obtain authorization, and employ Afghan workers in labor-intensive sectors. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that mass deportations from both Pakistan and Iran place returnees at serious risk of persecution, homelessness, and economic hardship amid Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian crisis.