Afghans in Pakistan

Afghans in Pakistan (, Afghān muhājirīn, Afghan migrants) are temporary residents from Afghanistan who are registered in Pakistan as refugees and asylum seekers. They fall under the jurisdiction of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Most of them were born and raised in Pakistan during the last four decades. Additionally, there are also Special Immigrant Visa applicants awaiting to immmigrate to the United States. Many Afghans in Pakistan receive financial support from family members in the Afghan diaspora. The Pakistani government began admitting Afghans after the beginning of the Soviet–Afghan War in 1979; by the end of 2001, there were over four million of them on the Pakistani side. About 75% of them have returned to their native country of Afghanistan since 2002. , approximately 1,285,754 still remain in Pakistan. In descending order, the distribution of the total Afghan refugee population throughout each Pakistani province and territory is as follows: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (52.3%), Balochistan (24.5%), Punjab (14.4%), Sindh (5.6%), Islamabad (3.0%), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (0.3%). By ethnicity, Afghan refugees in Pakistan are Pashtuns followed by Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Baloch, Turkmen, and others. The inflow of refugees into Pakistan began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, resulting from the political conflicts and instability that plagued Afghanistan, its neighboring country. The pivotal moment that triggered this massive movement was the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, sparking a prolonged and devastating war. Faced with escalating violence and societal disarray, millions of Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan, leading to a significant surge in the refugee population. This sudden influx posed a multifaceted and persistent challenge to Pakistan as it grappled with the formidable task of accommodating and meeting the needs of displaced individuals and families.

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Related concepts (16)

Afghan diaspora

Afghan diaspora refers to the Afghan people that reside and work outside of Afghanistan. They include natives and citizens of Afghanistan who have immigrated to other countries. The majority of the diaspora has been formed by Afghan refugees since the start of the Soviet–Afghan War in 1979; the largest numbers temporarily reside in Iran and Pakistan. As stateless refugees or asylum seekers, they are protected by the well-established non-refoulement principle and the U.N. Convention Against Torture.

Demographics of Afghanistan

The population of Afghanistan is around 41 million as of 2023. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multilingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between Central Asia, South Asia, and Western Asia. Ethnic groups in the country include Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbeks as well as smaller groups such as Nuristanis, Aimaq, Turkmen, Baloch and some others which are less known. Together they make up the contemporary Afghan people.

Kunar Province

Kunar (Pashto: ; Dari: ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. Its population is estimated to be 508,224. Kunar's major political groups include Wahhabis or Ahl-e- Hadith, Nazhat-e Hambastagi Milli, Hezb-e Afghanistan Naween, Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces (Nangarhar Province, Nuristan Province, Kunar Province and Laghman Province).