By Nahid Farhadi
As the forced return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran continues, the journey back home has become extremely difficult for many families. Women and children face severe shortages of basic necessities, no access to doctors or medical care, and treacherous roads. Pregnant women endure days and nights of pain, and some tragically lose their lives or the lives of their unborn children.
Sahar, 30, from Baghlan province, is one of those whose life was drastically affected during the return journey. Married as a teenager, she had moved to Pakistan with her husband in search of a better life. “Life was hard; we constantly moved from one place to another, and my husband worked in a small workshop to provide for us. But we endured it because conditions in Afghanistan were no better,” she recalls.
The fear of arrest in Pakistan and an uncertain future in Afghanistan left Sahar torn between hope and anxiety. When she became pregnant, she hoped her child would be born in a safer environment. That hope was short-lived. A few months ago, she and her family were arrested in Karachi and forcibly returned to Chashma Saad district in Baghlan. In her fourth month of pregnancy, they crossed the border at night without water, food, or rest, and severe abdominal pain began. There was no medical help along the way. “The pain became unbearable, and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, it was too late—my baby had been lost during the journey,” she says.
Now Sahar lives with her four young children in a remote area of Baghlan. Weak and exhausted, she struggles daily with shortages of food, medicine, and shelter. “We don’t live here—we just survive,” she says.
Similarly, Farideh, who returned from Lahore with her family, recalls: “We spent four days on the road without water or food. Pregnant women and mothers with infants had no access to doctors. Many fainted from exhaustion, and no one helped.”
Women’s rights activists warn that returnees receive no assistance during or after the journey, which increases maternal and infant mortality. Maral Haidari, a women’s rights advocate, says: “Vulnerable women, especially pregnant women, must be prioritized. Governments need to provide immediate support to returnees; otherwise, the lives of many women and children are at risk.”
Since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, thousands of women have been forced to leave the country. Schools and universities were closed to girls, women were banned from most workplaces, and severe restrictions on social freedoms pushed many to migrate. However, Pakistan’s recent policies have placed additional pressure on Afghan migrants, including those awaiting asylum or resettlement reviews by the UN or Western countries.
According to human rights organizations, over 600,000 Afghan migrants were deported from Pakistan last year. Women and girls have suffered the most, being denied access to education, work, and independent lives both in Pakistan and upon return. The UN and other international organizations have repeatedly urged Pakistan to halt forced deportations, but the expulsions continue.
