BAHARIN LEHIB

Afghanistan- In early October 2023, the Pakistani government ordered the deportation of all foreigners without legal documents, including 1.7 million Afghans, warning those who remained in the country after November 1 would be arrested and expelled to their countries of origin. Children make up 60% of Afghans returning from Pakistan, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The Taliban have set up a refugee camp near the Torkham border crossing for the deported Afghan refugees from Pakistan. Afghans, who have settled in the camp, suffer from lack of water, food and shelter.

‘We do not know what to do’

NuJINHA spoke to children settling in the refugee camp near the Torkham border crossing. The children told us that some humanitarian organizations gave them clothes, boots and some other supplies. Eight-year-old Roya Naseri stays in the camp with her 11-year-old brother.

“We worked as street vendors in Pakistan. A year ago, our parents died in a car accident in Pakistan. After their deaths, we stayed at the home of our relatives living in Pakistan, and my brother and I had to work to earn a living. Since our relatives were no longer given work permits, we had to leave Pakistan. Now, we are at the camp and we do not know what to do.”

10-year-old Jameela Sabur is one of the Afghan children staying at the camp. “We are four siblings. We lived in Pakistan but then we came to this camp. Each family was given a tent. Now, we all stay in a small tent.”

 While we were talking with children, the Taliban members came and shouted at the girls, “Go into your tent”. We had to leave the camp. The refugee camp is controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban follow what humanitarian aid organizations, journalists and foreigners do in the camp.