Pakistan deported 4,237 Afghan migrants on Sunday, 25 May 2025, with returnees entering Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak border crossing in the southern province of Kandahar, according to the Taliban commission for refugees. The single-day figure is part of an accelerating mass expulsion campaign that has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations and international human rights organisations.

Scale of the Deportations

Sunday's figure of 4,237 follows a punishing sequence of removals through the Torkham crossing: 4,590 Afghans were deported on Thursday, 4,398 on Friday, and 4,142 on Saturday. On the same Sunday, 355 individuals were also deported from Iran, according to the Taliban refugee commission, as reported by Afghan media outlet Amu TV. The commission noted that most of these returns are involuntary.

Broader Crisis: Over 3.5 Million Returned Since January

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported earlier this month that between 26 April and 9 May, approximately 114,321 people returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan combined — comprising 14,778 families, many of them women and children. Between 1 January and 9 May 2025, more than 3.5 million people — nearly 487,000 families — had returned to Afghanistan, according to IOM data. The organisation noted the returnees include both deportees and voluntary returnees.

Pakistan's Crackdown: Arrests and Raids

Pakistan's current enforcement phase represents what analysts describe as one of the most aggressive migration crackdowns in recent years, marking a structural shift in the country's approach to undocumented foreigners — a policy that has disproportionately affected Afghans. Reports indicate that around 1,500 Afghan refugees were detained across several refugee camps earlier this month, with operations concentrated in Peshawar and nearby districts. According to the Afghan Diaspora Network, approximately 100 Afghans were arrested from a mosque in the Khazana camp.

UN and Rights Groups Sound the Alarm

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the UN human rights office have urged governments not to forcibly return Afghan migrants who may face persecution or other serious risks. Particular concern has been raised for women, former government employees, journalists, and human rights activists. Human rights groups warn that many deportees face acute economic hardship and severely limited access to housing, employment, and public services upon arrival in Afghanistan. This comes amid an already dire humanitarian situation under Taliban governance, where rights — particularly for women — have been systematically curtailed since 2021.

What Happens Next

With Pakistan showing no signs of easing its enforcement posture, the pace of deportations is expected to continue in the near term. The IOM and UN agencies are monitoring the situation closely, but their capacity to intervene in forced removals remains limited. The scale of returns — over 3.5 million since January — is placing enormous strain on Afghanistan's already fragile infrastructure and social support systems.