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Red Cross official seeks ‘staggered’ return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan

Published

2 years ago

April 28, 2024

A senior Red Cross official has called for the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan to occur “in a more staggered way” so Afghanistan can better absorb them.

“It will be important to work with the government of Pakistan in 2024 to ask that if there are going to be returnees,” that they arrive “in smaller numbers at a time just so it is more manageable on the Afghan side,” said Alexander Matheou, regional director, Asia Pacific Region for the International Federation of the Red Cross, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Saturday.

Speaking in the Qatari capital, Doha, Matheou told journalists on Friday the challenges facing Afghan returnees from Pakistan was one of several pressing issues he discussed with the officials of the Islamic Emirate in Kabul.

“You will be aware that over half a million have crossed the border over recent months, and it is likely that we will see large numbers of new arrivals in the coming months,” he said.

“I imagine this is probably the largest population flow in a short period of time in Asia since the population movement from Myanmar into Bangladesh in 2017,” he added. “So, it is a significant event.”

Since October, Pakistan has expelled more than 500,000 Afghan refugees who lacked proper documentation.

Matheou noted many of the returnees have lived in Pakistan for decades and are ill-equipped to begin a new life in a country that to them is unknown, without government or international support.

He described the returnees as being in generally poor health, especially the children, who account for nearly half of all returnees.

“The evidence of that was we visited clinics where they reported a real spike in cases of acute malnutrition coming from the arrivals from Pakistan.

“We visited routine immunization programs of the IFRC and the Afghan Red Crescent in the villages, and there it was clear looking at the children that as well as being anemic, you could see wasting and stunting among the children,” he said.

Related Topics:#َAfghanistan #RedCross featured Pakistan Refugees

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Pakistani truckers return home after 9 months stranded in Afghanistan

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Ariana News

Hundreds of Pakistani truck drivers and conductors who were stranded in Afghanistan for nearly nine months have begun returning home, marking the end of a prolonged disruption caused by the closure of the Torkham crossing in October 2025.

The repatriation of stranded Pakistani nationals follows weeks of diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Kabul. Local political and community leaders have confirmed that the process is now underway and expected to conclude in the coming days, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Maulana Ijaz Shinwari, a senior district leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), said the return process had formally begun.

“The return of stranded Pakistani trucks, drivers and conductors is underway, and we expect all of them to reach home soon,” he said, adding that the crossing closure had severely damaged bilateral trade and worsened economic conditions in communities along the Durand Line.

According to him, the suspension of operations not only disrupted commerce but also triggered a humanitarian crisis, increasing poverty and unemployment across the region.

Local officials say the immediate priority is the safe return of all stranded Pakistani citizens, after which authorities are expected to outline a roadmap for the gradual restoration of trade.

While Pakistani transport workers are returning home, Afghan nationals are simultaneously moving back to Afghanistan in significant numbers from Pakistan.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has instructed relevant departments to accelerate the repatriation process and complete ongoing operations within 30 to 45 days.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Interior Tariq Saeed Marwat said temporary transit camps are operating in Peshawar, Charsadda, Kohat, and Hangu to assist returning Afghan families.

“We have reviewed all pending visa and stay-related matters concerning Afghan citizens,” he said. “The dignity, self-respect, and fundamental rights of those returning will be protected throughout the process.”

According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 2.5 million Afghan nationals have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan between September 2023 and June 2026.

The report states that 2,500,712 Afghans returned during this period, including over 1.9 million voluntary returns, 334,929 through UN-supported repatriation programmes, and 252,844 deportations.

The pace of returns has also accelerated in recent weeks. Between June 7 and June 13 alone, 28,285 Afghan citizens crossed back through major points including Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Chaman, Badini, and Bahramcha.

This marks an 11 percent increase in overall returns and a 22 percent rise in deportations compared to the previous week.

International Sports

Messi, David, and Undav lead thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race

The Golden Boot race remains wide open with several group-stage matches still to be played. Pre-tournament favourites Mbappé, Kane and Messi entered the competition among the bookmakers’ leading contenders, while Haaland and Vinícius Júnior were also widely tipped to challenge for the award.

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Ariana News

The battle for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is beginning to take shape, with Canada’s Jonathan David, Germany’s Deniz Undav and Argentina captain Lionel Messi emerging as the early frontrunners in the race to finish as the tournament’s leading goalscorer.

After the opening round of group-stage matches, all three players sit atop the scoring charts with three goals each. Messi’s hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria underlined the veteran forward’s enduring quality, while David has been instrumental in Canada’s impressive attacking displays. Germany striker Undav has also made a strong start, helping his side maintain its position among the tournament favourites.

A large chasing pack remains within striking distance. Fifteen players have already scored twice, including France star Kylian Mbappé, England captain Harry Kane, Norway’s Erling Haaland, Brazil duo Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha, Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal, and Netherlands attackers Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey.

Japan’s Ayase Ueda and Daichi Kamada, Morocco’s Ismael Saibari, Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi, New Zealand winger Elijah Just and Germany’s Kai Havertz have also made their mark with two goals each as the tournament’s attacking talent continues to shine.

The competition’s history suggests that a strong group stage can be decisive. France’s Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals, while Kane won the award in Russia in 2018 with six. Colombia’s James Rodríguez topped the charts with six goals in 2014, while Germany’s Thomas Müller and Miroslav Klose won the award in 2010 and 2006 respectively.

Among the surprise names on this year’s scoresheet are Cape Verde’s Hélio Varela and Kevin Pina, South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena, Jordan’s Ali Olwan and Ghana’s Caleb Yirenkyi, highlighting the global nature of a tournament that has already produced goals from every corner of the football world.

With the knockout rounds still weeks away and several star forwards yet to hit top form, the race for the Golden Boot promises to be one of the defining storylines of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For now, David, Undav and Messi lead the way, but with so much football still to be played, the contest remains anyone’s to win.

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Iran invites Afghanistan’s prime minister to attend funeral ceremony of Ali Khamenei

Iran’s Alireza Bikdeli described relations between Afghanistan and Iran as historical and deep, and expressed appreciation for the sympathy shown by the Islamic Emirate and the Afghan people during the recent conflict. He added that political and economic ties between the two countries had continued without interruption despite the war.

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Ariana News

Iran has officially invited Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), to attend the funeral and burial ceremony of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

The invitation was delivered during a meeting in the Arg between Mullah Abdul Wasi, Chief of Staff of the Office of the Prime Minister, and Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Mullah Abdul Wasi welcomed the reported agreement to end the war between Iran and the United States, describing it as a positive step toward regional stability.

Mullah Abdul Wasi also described Afghanistan-Iran relations as strong and inseparable between two neighboring Islamic countries, stressing that the continued growth in bilateral trade, even during periods of conflict, reflects the close economic and security ties between Kabul and Tehran.

He further expressed hope that Iran would provide greater facilitation for Afghan migrants during their stay and return, saying such measures would contribute positively to strengthening bilateral relations.

At the end of the meeting, the Iranian ambassador formally handed over the invitation to Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund and his accompanying delegation to attend the funeral and burial ceremony of Ali Khamenei.

According to reports, the funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei will be held from July 4 to July 9. Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, in the opening hours of a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, along with a number of senior officials and military commanders.