Six million Afghans deported from Pakistan and Iran face a homeland many have never seen

At the Torkham crossing — commonly known as "Zero Point" — the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is reduced to a single gate. Every day, hundreds of buses and trucks unload passengers who have been told to leave. They arrive with bundles of clothes, plastic bags and, sometimes, chickens tied by their feet.

Thirty-five-year-old Nazia is among those stepping out into the dust. She and two of her children are heading toward the registration counters, which are draped with the white-and-black flags of the Taliban administration. Born and raised in Pakistan, Nazia has never before set foot in Afghanistan. "It feels good to be in my own country," she says, but her expression turns serious: "I've never been to Afghanistan before, and many people here don't even have enough bread to eat."

Nazia's story mirrors that of millions. Over the past two years, Pakistan and Iran have stepped up the deportation of Afghan nationals, many of whom have lived in exile for decades. Pakistani officials have estimated that close to six million Afghans have been deported or have returned under pressure since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. This is one of the largest forced migrations in the world.

Afghans have been crossing into Pakistan and Iran since the Soviet invasion of 1979, and subsequent conflicts deepened that flow. The regime change of 2021 triggered another exodus, as many feared the Taliban's hard-line rule. Yet now, even those who had legal documentation are being told to leave. Pakistan has said that Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards are not exempt from deportation. Human rights groups say that strictly speaking, these measures violate international law, which forbids returning individuals to places where they face serious harm.

The United Nations and relief agencies have warned of a humanitarian disaster. Returnees are often sent to provinces where they have no relatives, no homes and no means of earning an income. Afghanistan itself is grappling with a severe economic crisis, severe drought and the world's largest recorded humanitarian need — according to UNOCHA — with millions of people relying on food aid.

At the Torkham crossing, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration have established temporary aid stations, distributing water and basic supplies. But with the daily influx, these facilities are often overwhelmed.

Nazia plans to travel onward to Kandahar, where one of her sisters is currently living. She says she has nothing to return to: "We have nothing. We are starting from zero." Around her, other families huddle together, trying to identify which bag belongs to whom, children crying, elderly men gripping crutches.

Both Pakistan and Iran argue that the deportations are an internal security measure, citing the presence of militancy and the strain on their economies. They have called on the international community to help rebuild Afghanistan, so that the burden of reintegration is shared. However, with aid budgets shrinking, the assistance has fallen far short of need.

At Zero Point, the arrival is just the beginning of another struggle. For Nazia, and for millions like her, this is not a homecoming but a step into the unknown.