News Desk
KABUL, Afghanistan — In a sweeping crackdown, Pakistan has forcibly deported nearly 50,000 Afghan children in the first half of April 2024, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where resources are already stretched thin. The mass expulsions, part of a broader campaign that has seen 84,869 Afghan migrants expelled since April 1, have drawn sharp criticism for their devastating impact on vulnerable children, many of whom face disease, exploitation, and family separation upon return.
According to Save the Children, 58% of the 84,000 Afghans who returned by April 16 were children, with one in five under the age of five. Since September 2023, Pakistan’s deportation campaign has expelled roughly 545,000 children, a policy that critics argue prioritizes political posturing over human rights. The chaotic returns have left young Afghans vulnerable to preventable diseases like diarrhea and respiratory infections, with inadequate medical resources in Afghanistan compounding the risks.
Pakistan’s relentless deportations have shown little regard for the well-being of these children, many of whom were born in Pakistan and have no ties to Afghanistan. Save the Children’s Afghanistan director, Chris Nyamandi, described the situation as “heartbreaking,” noting that the sudden uprooting places immense strain on families and Afghanistan’s fragile infrastructure. “These children are being thrust into a country they don’t know, with no safety net,” he said.
The economic toll is equally dire. A 2024 Save the Children survey found that nearly half of returning families could not secure work in Afghanistan, and 81% lacked marketable skills. Education is another casualty: two-thirds of returning children cannot enroll in school due to missing documentation, effectively denying them a future.
Pakistan’s actions have drawn muted international response, despite the clear need for urgent intervention. Afghanistan, already grappling with poverty and instability, cannot absorb this influx without significant aid. The global community must act swiftly to provide financial and humanitarian support, ensuring that these children—cast out by Pakistan’s harsh policies—receive the protection and care they desperately need. Without it, an entire generation risks being lost to neglect and despair.
