Amid Pakistan’s campaign to repatriate undocumented foreigners, including 1.7 million Afghans, around half a million have returned to Afghanistan since October. Many of these returnees are facing significant challenges, including a lack of shelter, means of sustenance, and employment. The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has been assisting the repatriated Afghans, particularly those who have arrived through the Spin Boldak crossing in the southern Kandahar province. The Afghan government has pledged support for the returnees, but the assistance offered is insufficient to meet the extensive needs of the affected families.
The unprecedented influx of returnees has placed immense pressure on the Afghan government, which is struggling to address their fundamental requirements, such as housing and livelihood opportunities. Additionally, the returnees are arriving in a country grappling with a deteriorating economy and soaring unemployment rates following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. The situation has prompted concerns about a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, as millions of Afghans are returning with little to sustain themselves.