Pakistan on Sunday said it will continue to support all efforts aimed at addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and the issue of lasting peace and stability in the country.

In a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan thanked Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), for drawing attention to the humanitarian predicament of Afghanistan.

Egeland earlier warned that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is being overlooked by the international community, with 22 million people in need of aid.

Speaking during a visit to Afghanistan, Egeland highlighted the dire situation faced by Afghan families, particularly women.

“Here in Herat, I met women who had been deported without their husbands back to deep poverty and hopelessness,” he said.

“Thank you @NRC_Egeland for drawing attention to the humanitarian predicament of Afghanistan. It would have been more appropriate had the world not abandoned the Afghan people after the war and if conducive socioeconomic conditions had been created inside the country for the Afghan people to prosper,” said FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan.

He said: “Pakistan has generously hosted over four million Afghan refugees. Those sent back were residing illegally without any documentation or proof of residence. Progress on the cases of thousands of Afghan nationals who were promised resettlement in western countries remains painfully slow.

UN Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan remains critically underfunded with only 37.5% of the required funds secured last year.”

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan were tied together by historical, religious and cultural links that transcend time.

“Pakistan has been and will continue to support all efforts aimed at addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as well as for lasting peace and stability in the country,” he added.

Egeland highlights dire situation of return refugees

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), on Monday highlighted the dire situation faced by Afghan refugees.

His warning came after his visit to the Islam Qala border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran.

Egeland revealed that significant numbers of Afghans are being expelled daily. “Iran wants to deport 2 million, and Pakistan has already sent back 800,000,” he stated.

These mass deportations come at a time when Afghanistan is grappling with severe humanitarian challenges, exacerbated by reduced international support.

According to Egeland, western donors have failed to uphold their commitments to Afghan girls and the broader population, slashing critical aid programs that were once lifelines for millions.

The Secretary General criticized the international community for neglecting its promises and leaving vulnerable Afghans to face worsening conditions.

The return of such large numbers of people is straining Afghanistan’s fragile infrastructure and economy, which remains in crisis following the IEA’s takeover in 2021.

NRC and other humanitarian organizations are calling for renewed international focus and resources to address the escalating needs of displaced Afghans and the communities struggling to absorb them.

As deportations continue and aid dwindles, the situation underscores a growing humanitarian crisis at Afghanistan’s borders, with countless families left to face an uncertain future.