Evicted Afghan refugees face hardships in Pakistan park amid fear of return

Huddled in a park in Islamabad, Afghan refugees are facing a dire situation. With nowhere to go, they are forced to stay in the park as landlords in Pakistan are pressuring them to leave. The conditions are harsh, with 200 families having to cook, sleep, and dry their belongings in the park after enduring nights of rain.
Among them is Samia, a 26-year-old from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority who recently gave birth. She expressed her concerns, saying, ‘There are many problems. We face rain and cold at night, heat and sun during the day, lack of food, and limited medical care for the sick, including my baby who was coughing.’
Pakistan has a history of hosting Afghan refugees but has intensified expulsions due to a crackdown, attributing crime and militancy to Afghans. Despite international disapproval, Pakistan has started deporting documented Afghans, adding pressure on the already vulnerable refugee community.
Facing a September 1 deadline, over a million Afghans may be forced to leave Pakistan, including 1.3 million holding refugee registration documents. The situation is dire, as many refugees, like those in the Islamabad park, fear the risks of returning to Afghanistan, especially due to political affiliations.
Amid the challenges, Afghan refugees in the park have reported police presence and warnings to leave. Many refugees, including a former advisor to Afghanistan’s interior ministry, fear reprisals and violence if they return home. The fear of persecution is real, making their current situation in Pakistan even more precarious.
Crisis continues to unfold as Iran has also expelled nearly 700,000 Afghans since June. The wave of deportations is alarming aid groups, marking one of the largest refugee return crises to Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover. The situation for Afghan refugees remains critical, with uncertainties over their future and safety continuing to grow.