Forced Return of Afghan Migrants to Earthquake-Hit Areas Could Trigger a New Humanitarian Crisis

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned that thousands of Afghans forcibly returned from Pakistan are being sent back to areas previously devastated by earthquakes, facing a "crisis on top of a crisis" due to lack of shelter, food, water, and healthcare.

Kokcha NewsSeptember 28, 2025

1 minute read

The earthquake, in the blink of an eye, has trapped the lives of thousands of Afghans under rubble and earth. Now women and children, with eyes full of fear and hope,

Kokcha News Agency – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a stark warning that the forced return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan to earthquake-affected areas in Afghanistan could lead to a new humanitarian disaster. In a statement released on Sunday, October 6, UNHCR highlighted that returning families are facing severe challenges, including lack of shelter, shortages of food and water, and limited access to healthcare.

UNHCR emphasized that financial resources to assist these families are running out, and without immediate international support, the situation could escalate into a full-blown crisis.

The agency called on the global community not to turn its back on these vulnerable families and to stand in solidarity with them.

This warning comes as both Pakistan and Iran have intensified the forced deportation of Afghan refugees in recent months. Hundreds of families are being expelled daily and sent back to Afghanistan, a country already grappling with widespread economic, political, and social challenges.

The return of migrants to areas that have already been devastated by natural disasters like earthquakes further exacerbates the vulnerability of these communities, leaving them with little to no resources to rebuild their lives.