A number of Afghan migrants who were forcibly deported from Pakistan said they have lost their businesses and financial assets.
They point to the current unstable situation in Pakistan, saying they were expelled with only minimal belongings.
Most of the returnees were deported from the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, and transferred to a temporary migrant camp in Torkham township.
Kamran, one of the deportees, said: “We had businesses and shops there. We left everything behind and left the country to preserve our dignity. The situation was truly bad.”
Haleem Shah, another deportee, said: “When Afghans were arrested, they were released only in exchange for money. All our vehicles were left behind.”
Sadaqat Khan, a 25-year-old deportee, recently returned to Afghanistan with his family through the Torkham crossing.
He said that not only did he lose his business and capital, but his household belongings were also confiscated by Pakistani police.
Sadaqat Khan said: “All the wealth we had gathered over 25 years was left behind. Our homes are filled with belongings that remain there.”
Local authorities in Nangarhar say they are working not only to trace and recover the confiscated properties of these migrants, but also to address their broader challenges.
Azizullah Mustafa, deputy governor of Nangarhar, said: “Among the returnees, there are individuals whose spouses are still across the border, and their businesses and assets remain there too. The situation of the migrants is truly difficult. We are trying to raise this issue through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure our fellow citizens return home with dignity.”
Meanwhile, the second round of forced deportations of Afghan migrants by the Pakistani government has sparked strong reactions from the United Nations and other international organizations.