Returning Afghan migrants face shelter, winter aid challenges

KABUL(Afghanistan):Afghan migrants returning from Pakistan are facing severe hardships as winter sets in, struggling to meet basic needs such as shelter, food, and identification documents, according to interviews with returnees, Tolo News reported.

Abdul Baqi, one of the returnees, said, “Our main problem is that we have no shelter. When we return to the country, we don’t know where to go. We ask the Islamic Emirate to address our situation.”

Another returnee, Abdul Bari, highlighted the widespread plight of migrants, stating, “Everyone knows most people are homeless, spending their days in the streets and along the roads.”

Several returnees highlighted difficulties in obtaining electronic ID cards, or tazkiras, as another pressing concern, according to Tolo News.

Abdul Malik, a returnee, explained, “When we go to our provinces, they tell us to apply for tazkira there. If they issue them, that’s great. We come together as a group, and if the government provides us with IDs, it will be very useful.”

Another returnee from Pakistan, Abdul Qahar, further stressed the need for essential support, saying, “In addition to this aid, we ask the government to help us with essentials–especially tents and shelter.”

In response, the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) said it has launched special programs across various provinces to facilitate the distribution of electronic ID cards and register returning migrants. Mohammad Halim Rafi, NSIA spokesman, said, “The leadership of NSIA has instructed all provincial offices to prioritise services for citizens returning from Iran and Pakistan, whether it’s electronic IDs, paper tazkiras, or birth certificates.”

Previously, a number of Afghan migrants had reported an increase in mistreatment in Pakistan following heightened tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, according to Tolo News.

Now, with the forced return of these migrants, the provision of their most basic needs has become a major social and humanitarian challenge. (ANI)