Photo by Monika Flueckiger
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan peace, has warned that Pakistan might use the refugee deportation process as a cover to send ISIS fighters into Afghanistan.
Khalilzad wrote on X: “Knowledgeable people tell me that they are concerned that the Pakistan establishment might well be using the expulsion of Afghan refugees as a cover to send ISIS terrorist to Afghanistan. I share this concern.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that nearly 60,000 Afghan refugees were returned via Torkham and Spin Boldak in the first two weeks of this month.
Meanwhile, some of the recently deported refugees say they face serious challenges, including lack of shelter, emergency aid, and employment opportunities.
According to IOM data, from September 2023 to April 2025, over 2.4 million Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan and Iran, 54% of whom were forcibly deported.
