Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan report widespread abuse, property seizures, and forced deportations

Afghan migrants returning from Pakistan say mistreatment by Pakistani police and authorities has intensified in recent months.

Many of those who recently crossed back into Afghanistan through Spin Boldak in Kandahar are reporting widespread abuse, the seizure of their homes and property, and the forced deportation of unaccompanied children.

An ATN journalist visited Spin Boldak and documented the experiences of returning refugees.

Many returnees claim that Pakistani government institutions have confiscated their homes, land, and all personal belongings.

Shamsullah, a returnee, said: “I lived in Karachi for forty years. Our forefathers had moved there. I thought I would live there forever. I had even bought land, but I had to leave everything behind and return.”

Islamuddin, another returnee, shared a similar experience: “I left behind a house worth 1.5 to 2 million afghanis. Everyone was trying to seize our property. We barely managed to escape with our lives. Our Afghan brothers still living in Pakistan face terrible hardships.”

For many, the loss goes beyond property—entire futures have been disrupted.

Mohammad Shaheen, a final-year medical student, said he and his Pakistani wife have lost everything: “My wife is Pakistani and has a national ID card. They told me, ‘Because you are Afghan, you must take her with you.’ They said I can only return on a visa.”

Detention and Deportation of Children

Returnees report that Pakistani police have been detaining children aged 10 to 17, holding them for days or weeks without notifying their families, and then deporting them alone to Afghanistan.

Najibullah, an unaccompanied minor, said: “They arrested children, kept them in prison for a month, mistreated them, forced them to work, and later sent them to Afghanistan without their families.”

Allah Mohammad, another migrant child, added: “The abuse was unbearable. Many of our friends were arrested. Their families were devastated. They were expelled without any notice.”

Officials in Spin Boldak confirm that a large number of unaccompanied children have been deported by Pakistan.

Mohammad Ali Haqmal, spokesman for Spin Boldak district governor’s office, said: “Dozens of children have been expelled. They have no contact with their families. They were arrested and deported without their parents knowing. They face serious challenges, but the Islamic Emirate is assisting them.”

Extortion Along the Chaman–Spin Boldak Route

Migrants also allege that Pakistani police extort money at multiple checkpoints, allowing passage only after payments ranging from 20,000 to 80,000 Afghanis.

Yusuf Khan, a returnee, said: “We spent three months in prison. Even then, we had to pay 80,000 Afghanis to be released. We spent eight days traveling back.”

Local officials in Spin Boldak report that 1,200 to 1,500 migrant families—equivalent to 6,000 to 8,000 individuals—enter Afghanistan daily through the Chaman–Spin Boldak crossing.