A number of Afghan refugees who have recently returned from Pakistan to southern Kandahar province are urging the government to provide shelter and employment opportunities as they work to rebuild their lives.
Local officials say efforts are underway to address the challenges facing the returnees.
According to UN data, nearly three million Afghan refugees have returned to the country since September 2023—many of them forcibly deported. Afghan families continue to arrive daily from both Iran and Pakistan.
Abdul Razzaq, who recently returned with his family from Karachi to Kandahar, said they were forced to leave behind most of their belongings.
“We longed to return home, but now that we are here, there is no work and no shelter. Starting any business requires money—and we simply don’t have the means. I don’t even know where to begin; we have no money and no contacts here who could support us,” he said.
Mohammad Akram, another returnee living in a rented house with his four children, said he has only one brother in Kandahar, who is also struggling financially.
“In Pakistan, at least I could earn a little through Labour and meet our daily needs. But here, there’s no work. I don’t have money to start even a small business. My brother is poorer than me—he can’t even afford an evening meal,” he said.
Akram urged officials to provide returnees with basic housing and employment opportunities to help them transition out of hardship.
Abdul Rashid, another returnee, shared similar concerns: “If we are just given a place to stay and a job to support our families, we would be content. Right now, we live in a rented house with no job—without work, how can we pay rent or meet other needs?”
In response, Sardar Mohammad, an official at the Department of Labour and Social Affairs, said vocational training programs are available to help returnees acquire skills and generate income.
He added that efforts are ongoing in coordination with several organizations to expand vocational education and job opportunities for returnees.
Ishaq Idris, head of returnee registration at the Department of Refugees and Repatriation, reported that around 15,000 families—comprising an estimated 78,000 individuals—have returned to Afghanistan via the Spin Boldak crossing since April. He noted that humanitarian agencies have provided these families with essential assistance.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) announced that a working committee, chaired by Deputy Minister Maulvi Mohammad Zahid Ahmadzai, met on Wednesday to discuss employment initiatives for returnees.
The ministry said special lists containing the names of nearly 2,000 returnees had been shared with relevant institutions for potential job placements. Additionally, plans are underway to expand technical and vocational training programmes for returnees across the country.
kk/sa
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