Over 1.6 Million Afghan Refugees Return from Pakistan: UNHCR Report
**Islamabad (Qudrat Daily)** —
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) October 2025 report, more than **1.6 million Afghan refugees** have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan. The repatriation process accelerated following Pakistan’s 2023 decision to repatriate undocumented Afghan nationals, after which even those holding **Proof of Registration (PoR)** and **Afghan Citizen Cards** were also sent back.
The report reveals that about **75 percent** of those who returned had **no official travel documents**, while **824,000 people** repatriated during the current year alone — marking the highest number of returns since the process began.
UNHCR noted that the **fear of arrest** and **economic hardship** were the primary reasons for refugees choosing to leave. Over **135,000 refugees (8%)** were reportedly detained and deported from various cities, with the **highest number of arrests recorded in Balochistan and Punjab**.
Despite the mass returns, more than **1.2 million registered Afghan refugees** still remain in Pakistan. However, due to **heightened border tensions**, the pace of repatriation has further intensified, the report added.
