In May 2015, a total of 12,053 Afghan refugees voluntarily repatriated to Afghanistan. 11,794 came from Pakistan, 253 from Iran, and 6 from India. This figure is more than four times the 2,840 returnees who returned in May 2014, and is also 30% higher compared to 9,287 returnees in April 2015.
In the first five months of 2015, a total of 33,558 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan under UNHCR’s assisted return program.
The majority of returnees (32,370) came from Pakistan, while 1,142 returned from Iran. The return trend this year represents a substantial increase, already surpassing the total return in 2014 (16,995), though it should be noted that the return trend from Iran is 55% lower as compared to the same period in 2015. The return trend normally increases from mid-April, which marks the start of return season.
Based on return monitoring, however, conditions in different parts of Pakistan, particularly in KPK and Punjab, continues to play a role in the decision to return.
Since January 2015, the return trends from Pakistan have markedly increased following the terrorist attack against the school in Peshawar (KPK). This incident triggered a series of measures by the Pakistani authorities which had an impact on both documented and undocumented Afghans. Reportedly, refugees are facing increasing challenges such as arrests, detention, termination of lease agreements by local landowners, closure of business, evictions, extortion and harassment by local police. Some 75% of repatriating refugees returned from KPK (52%) and Punjab (23%). Overall, 72% of returnees have arrived from urban areas. The top urban areas in Pakistan from which returnees have left in 2015 are Peshawar and Haripur (KPK), Mihrpur (Azad Kashmir), Karachi, Chakwal (Punjab), Quetta and Pishin (Baluchistan). The top five rural return areas (camps) for 2015 are Azakhel, Panian, Thall, Khaki and Old Akora, all of them located in KPK.
Returnees arriving in April and May from KPK reported increased pressure (eviction notices/closure of refugee settlements) by local authorities in several parts of KPK. In mid-May the refugee families in Azakhel refugee village received an eviction notice from local authorities. As a result, over 600 families have returned to Khoshi district of Logar province. The majority of the refugee population in Azakhel are originally from Logar province. It is not yet clear whether the remaining families from Azakhel have relocated to other areas of Pakistan or are planning to return to Afghanistan.
Eviction notices by the authorities are cited as the primary push factor that influenced Afghan refugees to return from Pakistan. Discrimination, harassment, movement limitations, economic factors, settlement closure and fear of arrest or deportation are mentioned as additional reasons for return from Pakistan in 2015.