More than six million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in little over three years, driving a severe jobs and housing crisis that has intensified pressure on local communities across northern Afghanistan.
Labour Markets and Housing Strains in Sheberghan
At a roadside in Sheberghan, the capital of Jawzjan province, 83-year-old Ghulam Sakhi Barat joined dozens of daily wage labourers searching for work amid an influx of returning populations. Wearing a frayed waistcoat, Barat stated that people are going hungry because fewer jobs remain available for local residents. According to Barat, assistance is directed toward returnees while long-term residents receive no support.
Abdul Qader Hotak, 60, returned to Jawzjan after spending two decades in Pakistan, only to discover his family possessed no land or property in the area. Eight months after his deportation, Hotak reported that his children, who once studied in Pakistan, now collect rubbish to earn an income. Faqir Mohammad Khudabakhsh, a 54-year-old mason who spent twenty years working construction in Iran, noted that he now finds manual labor only three days a week due to intense competition from other job seekers.
Did You Know? The United Nations projects that the population in Aqcha, a district in Jawzjan province, will surge by more than 26 percent as a result of the mass returns.
Official Claims Contrast With Rising Rents
Competition for housing has driven rental prices up by as much as 150 percent in recent years, according to residents. Saifuddin Muhtasem, director of the provincial information directorate, asserted that there are no unresolved issues for locals or returnees and claimed that unemployment does not exist in Afghanistan for anyone willing to work. Muhtasem added that the government established a nationwide committee to control rent prices and prevent hikes.
However, local civil servants dispute these official assertions. A 30-year-old civil servant identified as Ahmadi, who withheld his full name for security reasons, stated that his rent doubled over an 18-month period and that he had never heard of any government pricing committee.
Drought and Resource Pressures in Northern Afghanistan
The economic strain is compounded by a prolonged drought in Jawzjan province, where most water supplies are currently unfit for drinking or farming. Georgette Gagnon, the deputy special representative of the UN mission in Afghanistan, warned in September that competition over scarce resources risks fueling grievances, increasing displacement, and promoting instability. Gagnon emphasized that sustained support is vital for both returning populations and host communities.
UN data indicates that nearly one in three Afghans, totaling 15.9 million people, face food insecurity at crisis levels or worse. Muhtasem pointed toward an ongoing canal project, expected to take another two years to complete, as a future remedy for water shortages, while encouraging international organizations to construct housing shelters for returnees.
Millions of Afghans Return Amid Severe Food Insecurity and Canal Projects
How many Afghans have returned from neighboring countries?
More than six million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in little over three years following deportation drives by those neighboring countries.
What proportion of the Afghan population faces severe food insecurity?
According to UN data, nearly one in three Afghans—representing 15.9 million people—are facing food insecurity at crisis levels or worse.
How long is the local canal project expected to take?
The provincial information directorate noted that the canal project, intended to address water shortages in Jawzjan, is expected to take another two years to complete.
How will local infrastructure in Jawzjan province cope with the projected population surge over the coming months?