ISLAMABAD: A total of 24,822 undocumented Afghan nationals ‘spontaneously’ returned to Afgha­nistan from Pakistan between April and June 2023, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a report.

Key findings of the organisation’s Quarterly Flow Monitoring of Undocu­mented Afghan Returnees from Pakis­tan, released on Wednesday, show­­ed that 11,397 Afghan nationals returned through the Torkham border point and 13,425 through the Wesh-Chaman border.

Border authorities facilitated the return of 1,229 individuals due to the lack of legal documentation to rem­a­­in in Pakistan. Information concerning these 1,229 individuals is not in­­c­l­u­­ded in the count, the report said.

The average family size of returnees was six individuals and five per cent of all returnees recorded during the reporting period were categorised as vulnerable persons.

The top three challenges returnees are expected to face in Af­­gha­nistan were arranging livelihoods, settling into a new city, and finding better income opportunities.

All returnees were carrying hou­sehold items when surveyed. They also travelled with additional items, such as personal belongings (99pc), cash (97pc), productive assets (88pc), vehicles (3pc), and livestock (1pc).

Although IOM identified 24,822 undocumented Afghan returnees at two border crossings, this may not reflect the total number of undocumented returnees.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2023