Highlights
1,106 undocumented Afghans returned from Pakistan
13,189 undocumented Afghans returned from Iran
89,944 total returns from Pakistan since 01 Jan 2017
301,196 total returns from Iran since 01 Jan 2017
91% of returnees from Pakistan (1,009 individuals) assisted
6% of returnees from Iran (799 individuals) assisted
177 Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UAM) from Iran among those assisted, 0 from Pakistan
26 Medical Cases (MC) from Iran among those assisted, 0 from Pakistan
Contextual Update — Pakistan
As of 06 October 2017, the Government of Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) supported by the Government of Pakistan and IOM has received over 221,000 applications from undocumented Afghans for Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) across 21 registration centers. The registration exercise commenced on 16 August 2017 and is expected to continue into next spring. ACC cards grant undocumented Afghans temporary stay in Pakistan, pending their return to Afghanistan, to regularize their legal status by acquiring a pass-port and visa.
Return from Pakistan
A total of 1,106 undocumented Afghans spontaneously returned or were deported from Pakistan through the Turkham (Nangarhar) and Spin Boldak (Kandahar) border crossings from Oct 08—14, according to the Border Monitoring Team of the Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRR). Of the total returnees, 1,052 were spontaneous returnees and 54 were deported. This number marks a 3% decrease compared to the previous week (1,138). The total number of undocumented Afghan returnees from Pakistan since 01 January 2017 is now 89,944. IOM provided post-arrival assistance to 91% of undocumented Afghan returnees from Pakistan (1,009 individuals), including 804 individuals in poor families and 200 individuals in single parent families. The assistance provided includes meals, accommodation, basic medical screening, Non-Food Items (NFIs), onward transportation cash grants and referral services, as well as support from partners. From the 16-17 October, OM’s Chief of Mission travelled accompanied a high level ECHO delegation from Brussels to review the ongoing humanitarian response at the border, jointly with UNHCR.
Situation Overview
IOM is responding to a substantial increase in the return of undocumented Afghans from Pakistan and Iran. Since 01 January 2017, over 391,000 undocumented Afghans have returned due to diverse push factors, including deteriorating protection space in Pakistan and Iran. This figure represents a significantly higher rate of return than in previous years. Most of those returning have lived outside of Afghanistan for decades, and will need support from the government and humanitarian actors both on arrival and as they seek to reintegrate. As the rate of return is influenced by a number of political, security and other related factors both in Afghanistan and neighboring countries, another surge in returns could occur at any time. IOM estimates that approximately 500,000 undocumented Afghans could return from Pakistan and Iran in 2017, and is working to scale up its support to returnees in coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and other humanitarian partners.