Afghan Refugees Face Housing Crisis After Forced Return

With the forced return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan now underway, many of those recently repatriated say they are struggling to find rental housing amid significantly increased prices, in addition to lacking access to clean drinking water and basic shelter.

Gul Ahmad, a resident of Nangarhar who recently returned through the Torkham border, currently lives in a tent within a returnee camp in Torkham. He says the weather is hot, his children have fallen ill with various diseases, and rental prices in Jalalabad and its surrounding areas have become unaffordable. Despite searching for more than two weeks, he has been unable to find a place to rent.

“I live in a tent in the returnees’ camp in Torkham with my six-member family. Unemployment, poverty, and economic hardship have overwhelmed us. I don’t own a home, and rental houses are hard to find. If available, the rent is never below 10,000 afghanis, which most returnees like me simply cannot afford. That’s why we’re forced to live in tents,” said Gul Ahmad.

Zahirullah, another Afghan who returned about a month ago, said he left behind his business and belongings in Pakistan. Now back in his homeland, his economic situation has worsened and he cannot afford to pay rent.

He is currently staying temporarily in a relative’s home in Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province. He says he struggles even to find work that pays 100 afghanis a day and often returns home empty-handed.

“I’ve been here a month since leaving Pakistan, where we had to abandon all our property and household items. I’m now living with relatives for a short time, but life is getting harder by the day. There are no jobs, our financial struggles are growing, and rental housing is hard to find. Even if we find one, the rent is around 8,000 afghanis. With no income, how can I afford rent and other household expenses?” Zahirullah said.

Ezharul Haq, another returnee who recently arrived in Kabul from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, is also struggling to find a place to rent.

“Rental prices in Kabul are extremely high. A house with four rooms can cost over 12,000 afghanis, and landlords demand a six-month deposit in advance. Most returnees face many difficulties and are forced to live in tents,” said Ezharul Haq.

Local residents have also raised concerns, saying the influx of returnees from Pakistan has led to a spike in rental prices across urban areas.

Dilawar, a Kabul resident, said that prior to the return of refugees, rent prices were relatively low, but landlords have taken advantage of the situation and sharply raised rents. He urged authorities to set official rent regulations and to distribute returnees more evenly across provinces or encourage them to return to their home regions.

“It’s now very hard to find a rental house in Kabul. Prices have gone up significantly, and there are few jobs. Many returnees from Pakistan have stayed here, which has caused rental prices to rise. Last year, a three-room house would rent for 6,000 afghanis. Now it’s gone up to 15,000,” said Dilawar.

Real estate agents in Kabul have also confirmed that rent prices have recently increased.

Zahidullah, a real estate agent in Kabul’s New City area, said the return of refugees from Pakistan and Iran, as well as migration from other provinces to Kabul, have driven demand and pushed up rents.

“A two-room house now rents for 9,000 afghanis, a three-room for 12,000. The main reason is the large number of returnees from Pakistan who need rental homes. This has caused landlords to raise rents, with some even exploiting the situation,” Zahidullah explained.

Some sources say landlords are also citing increased taxation by Taliban officials as a reason for higher rents. While the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has not commented on taxation, it has called on landlords to cooperate with returnees and support them.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that nearly 100,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan between early April and the end of the month. In a post on X, IOM reported that these returnees were registered between April 4 and April 28 and that it is working with partners to provide them with emergency assistance and services.