Foreign invasions, civil conflict, insurgency, and harsh Taliban rule led millions of Afghan refugees to live in Pakistan for 44 years.

Afghan Refugees in the Late 1970s

The story of Afghan refugees begins in the late 1970s, when a Soviet-backed government, came to power in a coup in 1978, and faced resistance from different factions, leading to internal conflict and bloodshed. As a result, many Afghans took refugees in neighboring countries to escape the conflict and bloodshed.

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979

When the Soviet Army invaded Afghanistan in 1979, thousands of Afghans had to leave their homes because large-scale fighting broke out between mujahedeen and Soviet army, forced around 6 million Afghans to leave their homes looking for safety and shelter. A huge number of Afghan refugees went to neighboring countries about 3.5 million went to Pakistan, 2 million went to Iran, and the rest went to other countries. 

Afghan Civil War 1989–1992

Following the exit of the Soviet Union, a civil war started, creating extensive displacement and forcing millions of Afghan people and families to flee their homes. Around 5 million Afghans fled the neighboring country, while about 800,000 internally displaced.

The Taliban’s Rise to Power 1996

When the Taliban, an Islamist rebel group, took power in 1996, situation got worse again, and more people had to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law and intensified Taliban rule and policies, such as limits on education and work opportunities, especially for women, and harsh punishments once again forced millions of Afghans to leave their country and seek refuge in neighboring countries. 

Taliban takeover 2021

The recent wave of Afghan refugees started when the Taliban again took over Afghanistan in August 2021. To escape political persecution, victimization, and oppression, around 400,000 and 700,000 Afghans left their homeland and sought asylum and protection in neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran.

Pakistan’s recent actions of crackdown on Afghan refugees would not only leave Afghans vulnerable to terrible conditions on the other side of the border, but they may also put thousands of Afghans who have fled political persecution, and victimization at danger of being abused.