There’s nothing back home for Afghan refugees as Pakistan drives them away
Afghan Refugees Face Expulsion as Pakistan Tightens Border Control
In March 2025, Pakistan initiated a campaign to expel Afghan refugees. The Pakistani government justified this by accusing Afghan nationals of having links to narcotics trafficking and supporting terrorism. This decision could force hundreds of thousands of Afghans to leave the country, whether they have valid documents or not. As the expulsion process intensifies, refugees now face an uncertain future, forced to return to Afghanistan—a country still grappling with years of war and instability.
While this expulsion is framed as necessary for national security, it has created a humanitarian crisis. Afghan refugees, who have sought safety in Pakistan for years, now find themselves pushed out, with few options for survival. Their future remains bleak as they are sent back to a land where opportunities are scarce.
Pakistan’s Expulsion Campaign: A Response to Security Concerns
Pakistani authorities argue that Afghan refugees contribute to security problems in the region. They claim that Afghan nationals have participated in the drug trade and helped terrorist organizations operate along the porous Afghanistan-Pakistan border. As a result, Pakistan has decided to tighten its border security and expel refugees lacking documentation.
However, critics contend that this broad-brush approach unfairly targets the entire refugee population. The majority of Afghan refugees have lived peacefully in Pakistan for years, contributing to local communities in multiple ways. They have started businesses, worked in markets, and raised families. For them, this expulsion means being torn away from the only home they have ever known.
While Pakistan’s security concerns are valid, this policy could cause more harm than good. It risks creating an unstable situation for both refugees and the countries involved.
Nazmine Khan’s Struggle: A Personal Story of Displacement
Nazmine Khan is one of the many refugees caught in the middle of this crisis. Born in Pakistan, she had never set foot in Afghanistan. Her family fled the violence in Afghanistan long before her birth, and she grew up in a Pakistani refugee camp. For Nazmine, Pakistan had always been home—until the expulsion campaign changed everything.
Nazmine, along with her family, was forced to leave Pakistan and make her way to a border camp in Afghanistan. There, she encountered a reality she had never known: living in a sweltering tent with no resources, no community, and no support. She found herself in a foreign land, surrounded by people who shared her pain but not her history. The feeling of being uprooted was overwhelming.
For Nazmine Khan, Afghanistan represented nothing more than a place on a map. She had no connection to the country that was now her “home,” and returning there was a painful reminder of the life she had lost in Pakistan.
Why Pakistan Is Expelling Afghan Refugees
For decades, Pakistan hosted Afghan refugees, offering them shelter during times of war. However, the relationship between the two countries has become increasingly strained. Pakistan faces security threats, with cross-border militancy and drug trafficking linked to the Afghan conflict. The expulsion of refugees is seen as a response to these ongoing issues.
But this blanket expulsion of Afghan nationals raises ethical concerns. Many of the Afghan refugees have integrated into Pakistani society. They have worked alongside locals, built lives, and contributed to Pakistan’s economy. To expel them, despite their peaceful and productive lives, feels like punishing an entire population for the actions of a few.
This generalized targeting of all Afghan refugees does not address the root causes of security issues. Instead, it risks deepening tensions and leaving many refugees in a state of displacement and despair.
The Struggles of Returning to Afghanistan
Returning to Afghanistan is not an easy option for many Afghan refugees. After years of living in Pakistan, they are no longer familiar with the country they once called home. Afghanistan still grapples with economic hardship, political instability, and limited infrastructure. Many of these refugees have no connections in Afghanistan and lack access to jobs, healthcare, and housing.
Nazmine Khan, like many other refugees, now faces a harsh reality: struggling to survive in a country where rebuilding her life seems nearly impossible. Afghanistan’s economic collapse and ongoing conflict make it difficult for returnees to find secure housing, gain employment, or access basic services. Reintegration remains a challenge for those who have been living as refugees for decades.
The International Community’s Role in Addressing the Crisis
As the expulsion campaign intensifies, human rights organizations and the international community have called for a more humane approach to the Afghan refugee crisis. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has emphasized that refugees should not be blamed for the actions of a few individuals involved in criminal activities. Instead, the international community must focus on addressing root causes like drug trafficking and terrorism, while ensuring that refugee rights are respected.
Moreover, the global community must step in to provide support. Pakistan cannot shoulder the burden of this crisis alone. Financial aid, logistical assistance, and resettlement programs should be a priority to help Afghanistan integrate refugees successfully. Without such support, the task of reintegrating refugees into Afghanistan will remain daunting.
A Path to Cooperation: Solutions for Afghan Refugees
The situation for Afghan refugees requires international cooperation. Pakistan and Afghanistan need to collaborate on a fair solution to the refugee crisis. Instead of expelling Afghan nationals, both governments should focus on creating pathways for safe return, reliable support, and long-term reintegration.
Afghanistan’s government should invest in programs to help refugees reintegrate, offering them employment opportunities, healthcare, and housing. In return, Pakistan should provide temporary protection for refugees who may be in danger if sent back to Afghanistan without assistance.
The international community can help by offering financial resources and technical expertise, facilitating global partnerships to ensure that refugees are treated with dignity and respect.
Conclusion: Moving Forward with Compassion and Responsibility
The expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan has created a humanitarian crisis. As millions of Afghan nationals face an uncertain future, it’s crucial for governments, the UN, and human rights organizations to work together to find solutions.
The rights of refugees should never be compromised in the name of national security. The Afghan refugee crisis demands compassion, global cooperation, and a commitment to addressing the underlying causes of displacement. Only through collaboration and support can both Pakistan and Afghanistan begin to heal and move forward.
