DTM PAKISTAN | BI-WEEKLY FLOW MONITORING OF AFGHAN NATIONALS

DATA COLLECTION PERIOD | 1 – 15 APRIL 2025

ABOUT FLOW MONITORING (FM) HIGHLIGHTS #183
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Pakistan’s FM • Since the beginning of April, a noticeable increase in returns was
provides key insights into cross-border migration trends, returning recorded, over 5,600 returns per day, with a reported peak on
Afghan nationals to Afghanistan, their profiles, mobility patterns, Thursday, 10 April (9,417 returns).
routes, vulnerabilities, demographics and other social characteristics. • Deportations are significant, with a daily average of about 1,200
deportations since the beginning of April. About half of the
deportations since the beginning of April are Afghan Citizen Card
Between 1 and 15 April 2025, DTM border monitors (BMs)
(ACC) holders.
interviewed 3,626 heads of households through a Flow Monitoring • Despite this very significant increase in returns and deportations,
Registry (FMR) form, while 85,012 Afghan returnees were identified the average figures remain below the average reported return
through five border crossing points (BCPs) (see map 1). For more numbers during the height of the “Illegal Foreigner’s Repatriation
information on FM methodology, see page 5. Plan” (IFRP)-Phase I in the last quarter of 2023 (which was 30,000
returns on 1 November 2023).
• Cumulatively, since 15 September 2023, 939,045 individuals have
returned to Afghanistan. Fourteen per cent (133,054 individuals)
of this total have returned since 1 January 2025.
939,045 TOTAL RETURNS
15 Sep 2023 – 15 April 2025
Map 1. Assessed border crossing points in Pakistan
85,012 TOTAL RETURNS1
1 – 15 April 2025
UZBEKISTAN
TAJIKISTAN PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC
LEGEND
TURKMENISTAN
OF CHINA Assessed BCP
Province BCP # % BCP name
TORKHAM
52,441 Returns Province border
KP Torkham 52,441 62% 15,255 Deportations International border

!
!
! !

!
! !! !! !

!
! ! ! ! !! !

!
!! !
!!!!

!
!
!!

!
! !!
! !!!! !

Disputed border
!

!
!! !
!

!
! !!

!
!!!

JAMMU AND
!
!
! !
!

!
KASHMIR Line of Control
!!

!
AFGHANISTAN
!

Balochistan Chaman 13,008 15%

! ! !
! !
!
GHULAM KHAN
! !

!
!!
!

BADINI
914 Returns
0 Returns 0 Deportations
KP Ghulam Khan 914 1% 0 Deportations
CHAMAN
13,008 Returns
INDIA
Balochistan Badini 0 0% 2,956 Deportations
BAHRAMCHA
0 Returns PAKISTAN
ISLAMIC 438 Deportations
Balochistan Bahramcha 0 0% REPUBLIC
OF IRAN

Total deportations # %

Deportations 18,649 22%

Disclaimer: The dotted line represents approximately the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. The designations employed
and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM or United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Figure 1. Monthly returns of Afghan nationals (1 September 2023 – 15 April 2025)

Torkham border reopened
300,000 on 19 March after being 100%
262,473 Implementation
Announcement closed for almost four weeks
of the IFRP 90%
250,000 of the IFRP2
80%
Significant uptick in arrests,
200,000 70%
147,526 detentions, and deportations
60%
150,000 since the beginning of April 2025 50%
85,012 40%
100,000 58,696 30%
38,894 38,062 35,928 28,729
22,196 19,458 17,632 17,137 25,397 22,689 23,679 25,422 22,073 18,577 17,861 20%
50,000 11,604
10%
- 0%
Sep-23 Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jul-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25
Returns KP Returns Balochistan % Deportations Events Event date

Figure 2. Daily returns of Afghan nationals (15 February 2025 – 15 April 2025)
Torkham border 9,163
10,000 Torkham border 8,390 8,146 100%
closed due to cross- reopened after being
8,000 80%
border hostilities 5,196
6,000 closed for almost 4 weeks 60%
4,000 40%
742 723 1,365 1,089
2,000 306 225 153 155 114 89 54 96 120 200 246 1,347 20%
364
0 0%
15-Feb-2025
16-Feb-2025
17-Feb-2025
18-Feb-2025
19-Feb-2025
20-Feb-2025
21-Feb-2025
22-Feb-2025
23-Feb-2025
24-Feb-2025
25-Feb-2025
26-Feb-2025
27-Feb-2025
28-Feb-2025

1-Apr-2025
2-Apr-2025
3-Apr-2025
4-Apr-2025
5-Apr-2025
6-Apr-2025
7-Apr-2025
8-Apr-2025
9-Apr-2025
10-Mar-2025
11-Mar-2025
12-Mar-2025
13-Mar-2025
14-Mar-2025
15-Mar-2025
16-Mar-2025
17-Mar-2025
18-Mar-2025
19-Mar-2025
20-Mar-2025
21-Mar-2025
22-Mar-2025
23-Mar-2025
24-Mar-2025
25-Mar-2025
26-Mar-2025
27-Mar-2025
28-Mar-2025
29-Mar-2025
30-Mar-2025
31-Mar-2025
1-Mar-2025
2-Mar-2025
3-Mar-2025
4-Mar-2025
5-Mar-2025
6-Mar-2025
7-Mar-2025
8-Mar-2025
9-Mar-2025

10-Apr-2025
11-Apr-2025
12-Apr-2025
13-Apr-2025
14-Apr-2025
15-Apr-2025

Total returns (KP + Balochistan) Returns KP Returns Balochistan % Deportations

1
This number includes returnees who received post-arrival assistance by the IOM-led Border Consortium in Afghanistan at Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossing points. Returnees assisted by the Border Consortium only
include undocumented individuals and ACC holders but not individuals with other statuses such as PoR returnees, Voluntary Repatriation Form (VRF) holders, UNHCR slip holders, asylum-seeker certificate holders, and their
undocumented family members.
2
On 3 October 2023, Pakistani authorities formally announced the implementation of the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP)”, demanding that all undocumented foreigners residing in Pakistan leave the country by 1
November 2023 or face deportation.
Page 1 | IOM Pakistan
DTM PAKISTAN | BI-WEEKLY FLOW MONITORING OF AFGHAN NATIONALS
DATA COLLECTION PERIOD | 1 – 15 APRIL 2025

DOCUMENTATION STATUS OF RETURNEES3 *

Undocumented: 47,497 (71%) ACC holder: 15,815 (24%) PoR holder: 3,051 (5%)

DEMOGRAPHICS

4% Women-headed households 0.3% Child-headed households 5,165 Polio vaccinated (<10 years)
Figure 3. Age and gender of returnees (N = 65,449) Four per cent of the returnee households
were women-headed households. During this
50% AGE 50% reporting period, there were 11 child-headed
households (<18 years). Of the children (<10
2% 60+ 1% years) who crossed the border, 5,165 had
received polio vaccination. The majority of
20% 18 - 59 21% returnees are individuals between 18 and 59
years of age (41%) and individuals between 5
19% 5 - 17 17% and 17 years of age (36%). During this period,
gender distribution is equal at 50 per cent each.
9% 0-4 11%

REASONS FOR MOVEMENT

During this reporting period (1 - 15 April 2025), fear of arrest When looking at reasons for choosing the final destination,
(90%) remained an important reason for respondents to return. 72 per cent of respondents have reported family reunion and
However, more than half of respondents (51%) also indicated 64 per cent noted the availability of assistance in Afghanistan as
that they returned because of financial debt, a significant increase another reason. Thirty per cent of respondents also indicated that
compared to previous reporting periods. their family members were deported to Afghanistan.

Figure 4. Reasons for leaving Pakistan (Multiple answers, N = 3,626, can exceed 100%) Figure 5. Reasons for choosing final destination (Multiple answers, N = 3,626, can
(Top 5)* exceed 100%) (Top 5)*
1. Fear of arrest 1. Family reunion
7264302
90511185
90% 72%
2. Financial debt 2. Availability of assistance in Afghanistan
51% 64%
3. Family member deported 3. Family member deported
11% 30%
4. Communal pressure 4. To obtain official nationality
8% 2%
5. No employment 5. Returning to own house
5% 2%

FORESEEN CHALLENGES IN AFGHANISTAN

During the interviews, a large majority of respondents reported education (61%) were also considered important by around more
finding income opportunities (96%), arranging for livelihoods (93%), than half of respondents. Twenty-seven per cent reported availability
settling into a new city (87%), and arranging for shelter (85%) as the of clean drinking water as an important challenge, sixteen per cent
most important challenges they foresee upon return in Afghanistan. reported security challenges and only two per cent reported adverse
Availability of medicine and health facilities (62%) and access to weather conditions.
Figure 6. Foreseen challenges in Afghanistan (Multiple answers, N =3,626, can exceed 100%)*

96% 93% 87%

Income opportunities Arrange for livelihoods Settling into a new city

85% 62% 61%

Arrange for shelter Availability of medicine and health Access to education
facilities

27% 16% 2%
Availability of clean drinking water Security challenges Adverse weather conditions

3
Documentation status is not available for returnees who were deported.
* An asterisk indicates that the visual data pertains exclusively to ACC holders and undocumented Afghan nationals returning through the Torkham and Chaman BCPs. Data was not collected from the Badini and Bahramcha
BCPs, and excludes deportees as well as data gathered by UNHCR at the Ghulam Khan BCP.
Page 2 | IOM Pakistan
DTM PAKISTAN | BI-WEEKLY FLOW MONITORING OF AFGHAN NATIONALS
DATA COLLECTION PERIOD | 1 – 15 APRIL 2025

TRAVEL CONDITIONS
On average, respondents pay USD 658 from their place of origin The majority of returnees use pick ups (70%) to return. Twenty-
in Pakistan to their final destination. This amount is three times one use pick ups and nine per cent travel by bus.
higher than the amount paid during the previous reporting period All Afghan returnees reported moving with personal belongings.
(USD 219; 16 - 31 March 2025). The cost from their place of Ninety-nine per cent reported carrying household items and 94
origin in Pakistan to the border (USD 349) is higher than the cost per cent cash, followed by productive assets (68%).
from the border to their final destination (USD 309).

AVERAGE ESTIMATED AMOUNT PAID FROM ORIGIN TO DESTINATION: PKR 184,407 (USD 658)4 *

Average estimated amount paid from origin (PAK) to border: Average estimated amount paid from border to destination (AFG):
PKR 97,706 USD 349 PKR 86,701 USD 309

Figure 7. Main mode of transportation (N =3,626)* Figure 8. Belongings returnees are travelling with (Multiple answers, N = 3,626, can
exceed 100%) (Top 4)*
1. Truck 1. Personal belongings
702190
70% 100%
2. Pick up 2. Household items
21% 99%
3. Bus/ Minibus 3. Cash
9% 94%
4. By Foot 4. Productive assets
68
AREAS OF ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
The majority of respondents came from Punjab (52%), including
districts, such as Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Attock and Gujrat. One in
four respondents also came from Sindh, with most coming from
Karachi. A smaller share originated from Balochistan (11%), where
most respondents hailed from Quetta.
Figure 9. Areas of origin and destination through Chaman and Torkham BCP5 (N = 3,626)*
0%

In Afghanistan, most returnees go to provinces located closer to

the border, especially Torkham, including Nangarhar (24%) and
Kabul (16%)
68%

PAKISTAN BCP
Power BI Desktop AFGHANISTAN
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Badghis
Samangan
Kunar
Nimroz
Islamabad Capital Territory Laghman
Badakhshan
Parwan
Paktika
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Uruzgan
Balkh
Chaman
Farah
Wardak
Sar-e-Pul
Jawzjan
Zabul
Logar
Hirat
Baghlan

Punjab
Nangarhar

Ghazni
Paktya
Hilmand
Takhar

Sindh Torkham Kunduz

Faryab

Kabul

Balochistan Kandahar

Kapisa
Khost

4
Data was originally collected in Pakistani Rupee (PKR). Exchange rates are PKR 280.213 to USD 1 according to the UN Operational Rates of Exchange on 15 April 2025. Available online here.
5
This type of data is only collected by DTM at Torkham and Chaman BCPs.
*An asterisk indicates that the visual data pertains exclusively to ACC holders and undocumented Afghan nationals returning through the Torkham and Chaman BCPs. Data was not collected from the Badini and Bahramcha
BCPs, and excludes deportees as well as data gathered by UNHCR at the Ghulam Khan BCP.
Page 3 | IOM Pakistan
DTM PAKISTAN | BI-WEEKLY FLOW MONITORING OF AFGHAN NATIONALS
DATA COLLECTION PERIOD | 1 – 15 APRIL 2025
Map 2. Areas of origin and destination (N = 3,626)*

Districts of origin (Pakistan) Provinces of destination (Afghanistan) LEGEND

Not assessed Not assessed
Assessed BCP
> 20% > 20%
District border
16 - 20% 16 - 20%
11 - 15% 11 - 15% Province border

6 - 10% 6 - 10% International border

0 - 5% 0 - 5% Disputed border
Line of Control
UZBEKISTAN
TAJIKISTAN

TURKMENISTAN PEOPLE’S
3 REPUBLIC
8 10
OF CHINA

9 7

!
2
!

1 Jammu and
AFGHANISTAN
Torkham Kashmir
6 7 5
2
Ghulam Khan 6
4
3

Badini 10
4
Chaman
8

Bahramcha

ISLAMIC PAKISTAN
REPUBLIC INDIA
OF IRAN

9
1

Disclaimer: The dotted line represents approximately the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. The designations employed
and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM or United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Table 1. Top 10 districts of origin, main type of residence and main source of income Table 2. Top 10 provinces of destination, main type of residence and main source
of Afghan returnees in Pakistan of income of Afghan returnees in Afghanistan
Districts of Main type of Main source of Province of Main type of Main source of
origin (top 10) % of returns residence income destination (top 10) % of returns residence income

1. Karachi Central 18% Rented House Unskilled Labor 1. Nangarhar 24% Spont. Settlement Unskilled Labor

2. Rawalpindi 12% Rented House Unskilled Labor 2. Kabul 16% Rented House Unskilled Labor

3. Sialkot 7% Rented House Unskilled Labor 3. Kunduz 13% Rented House Unskilled Labor

4. Gujrat 7% Rented House Unskilled Labor 4. Kandahar 11% Rented House Unskilled Labor

5. Islamabad 6% Rented House Unskilled Labor 5. Baghlan 5% Rented House Unskilled Labor

6. Chakwal 6% Rented House Unskilled Labor 6. Paktya 5% Spont. Settlement Unskilled Labor

7. Attock 5% Rented House Unskilled Labor 7. Kunar 4% Spont. Settlement Unskilled Labor

8. Quetta 5% Rented House Unskilled Labor 8. Balkh 3% Rented House Unskilled Labor

9. Karachi East 4% Rented House Unskilled Labor 9. Laghman 3% Rented House Unskilled Labor

10. Lahore 4% Rented House Unskilled Labor 10. Takhar 3% Rented House Unskilled Labor

*
An asterisk indicates that the visual data pertains exclusively to ACC holders and undocumented Afghan nationals returning through the Torkham and Chaman BCPs. Data was not collected from the Badini and Bahramcha
BCPs, and excludes deportees as well as data gathered by UNHCR at the Ghulam Khan BCP.
Page 4 | IOM Pakistan
DTM PAKISTAN | BI-WEEKLY FLOW MONITORING OF AFGHAN NATIONALS
DATA COLLECTION PERIOD | 1 – 15 APRIL 2025

FM METHODOLOGY

To retrieve information on returnees’ profiles and mobility patterns, BMs use a Flow Monitoring Registry (FMR) form to interview
heads of households of Afghan families returning to Afghanistan. Whilst conducting the FMR, they also obtain information on all family
members travelling with the head of household, including gender, age, documentation status and vulnerabilities. Information on the
number of Afghan returnees is obtained through different sources which goes through a data harmonization process. This process is
outlined in the below figure (see figure 10).
Figure 10. Sources of data and process of data harmonization

DTM Pakistan, UNHCR Pakistan, and IOM Afghanistan’s Cross Border Post-Arrival Humanitarian Assistance (CB-PAHA) programme use different methodologies
to collect data on various demographic subsets of individuals returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan (outflows). The following flow chart illustrates the
relationships between the subsets and how IOM coordinates its various methodologies to develop a robust and comprehensive information management
database on return movements.

Cross-Border Through official government sources, DTM Pakistan receives data on total incoming and outgoing travellers, disaggregated
by nationality (Afghan, Pakistani and third-country nationals) and documentation status. DTM Pakistan does not use data
Mobility on incoming travellers for its FM products as it also covers Pakistani nationals and those travelling daily. Data on outgoing
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
travellers is utilized (see step 2), however, only for Afghan nationals who intend to return and live in Afghanistan for an
extended period of time.

1 Flow Monitoring
Registry (FMR)
DTM Pakistan collects the number Afghan nationals, both undocumented and ACC holders, returning to Afghanistan
via the Badini, Bahramcha, Chaman (Balochistan) and Torkham (Khyber Pakhtunkwa) BCPs. Returnees are classified as
Afghans who intend to return and intend to live in Afghanistan for an extended period of time as opposed to those
IOM PAKISTAN travelling for trade or to visit Afghanistan temporarily. This exercise is referred to as Flow Monitoring Registry (FMR). As
part of this exercise, DTM Pakistan collects data from heads of households at the border.

2 Flow Monitoring
Count (FMC)
Returnees that were not counted by DTM Pakistan during the FMR exercise are added to the dataset through the
Government of Pakistan. In addition, data collected through DTM Pakistan’s FMR exercise is triangulated with the GoPs
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
figure which serves as DTM Pakistan’s FMC.

3
IOM CB-PAHA assists undocumented Afghan returnees in reception centres located close to the Chaman and Torkham
CB-PAHA BCPs on the Afghanistan side of the border. The additional returnees covered by CB-PAHA accounts for those Afghan
IOM AFGHANISTAN nationals returning circumventing the customs route, which infrequently occurs. After comparing data collected by DTM
Pakistan and CB-PAHA in Afghanistan, DTM Pakistan selects the higher number to include in the dataset based on a
daily cross-comparison of both data sources.

4 UNHCR Pakistan UNHCR in Pakistan also collects the number of Afghan nationals, specifically those holding POR cards and those returning
through facilitated return, returning to Afghanistan via the same borders covered by DTM Pakistan as well as Ghulam
UNHCR PAKISTAN
Khan BCP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After comparing data collected by UNHCR and DTM Pakistan, DTM Pakistan selects
the higher number to include in the dataset based on a daily cross-comparison of both data sources.

5
After coordination with the different programmes, DTM Pakistan arrives at a total number of Afghan returnees which
Total Afghan represents Afghan nationals who returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan through five BCPs, including Badini, Bahramcha,
Returnees Chaman (Balochistan), Torkham and Ghulam Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and have both documented (PoR and ACC
holders) and undocumented status, excluding those travelling for trade or visiting Afghanistan temporarily. The final database
IOM PAKISTAN
is then shared by DTM Pakistan with DTM Afghanistan and UNHCR in Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure streamlining
of return figures. As such, all figures reported by the agencies on both sides of the border are fully harmonized. This
harmonised data is then used for various reports, including the joint UNHCR-IOM Flash update, as well as the IOM DTM
bi-weekly, quarterly and yearly flow monitoring products.

DTM IN PAKISTAN IS
FUNDED BY Co-funded by the
European Union

© 2025 International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The opinions expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the
presentation of material throughout the report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. The following citation is required when using any data and information included in
this information product: ‘International Organization for Migration (IOM), April 2025. Bi-Weekly Flow Monitoring of Afghan Returnees | 1 – 15 April 2025. IOM, Pakistan.’ For
more information on terms and conditions of DTM information products, please refer to: https://dtm.iom.int/terms-and-conditions.
Contact: DTMPakistan@iom.int
Page 5 | IOM Pakistan