ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Com­missioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Friday that almost 2.8 million Afghans from Pakistan and Iran have returned to Afghanistan so far in 2025.

In its update, the UNHCR says the large-scale return of Afghans has further strained its resources as Afghanistan is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, fuelled by a deteriorating human rights situation, prolonged economic hardship, recurring natural disasters and limited access to critical services.

The UN agency says that many Afghans, regardless of status, face serious protection risks in Afghanistan due to the current human rights situation, especially women and girls.

The refugee agency says 931,700 Afgh­ans returned from Pakistan to Afgha­nis­tan from April 1 to December 13, including 135,200 deportees (15 per cent). Most were undocumented (52 per cent), followed by Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders (46pc) and asylum-seekers (2pc).

The UNHCR says the Afghanistan situation remains critically underfunded, with only 37pc of the required $478m for 2025 received. Additional support is needed to scale up the response to multiple emergencies. The UNHCR’s updated regional returns appeal calls for $258.6m.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, authorities have begun scaling back services in some refugee villages to encourage voluntary return to Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025