KABUL / NEW YORK (June 8, 2025) — In a sweeping Eid al‑Adha message, Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund announced a general amnesty for all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the Western‑backed government in August 2021, reported by Daily Times. Through a post on X, he implored, “Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland. Nobody will harm them,” urging returnees to live “in an atmosphere of peace.” He also directed Taliban officials to provide shelter and support services for those who come back.
This overture coincides with mounting international pressure on Afghan diaspora communities: On June 9, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s travel ban on 12 countries—including Afghanistan—takes effect. The restrictions, targeting both migrants and students, have shattered hopes of resettlement for many Afghans, including those already approved for U.S. relocation
Rights advocates, particularly women’s rights defenders who collaborated with U.S.-funded projects, report feeling “abandoned” and fearing imminent repression
Meanwhile, an aggressive deportation campaign in Pakistan forces nearly one million Afghans home since October 2023. Islamabad has extended its crackdown: undocumented migrants and even Afghan Citizen Card holders face expulsion from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with reports of forced removals, bribes, and family separations. Human Rights Watch and UN agencies warn of grave risks for returnees, especially women and minors, under Taliban rule
Rebutting these narratives, Akhund accused the international media of laying false blame upon the Taliban, arguing that reports overshadow the “accomplishments of the Islamic system.” He framed the amnesty not only as a gesture of reconciliation, but also a reassertion of legitimacy, declaring: “We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished.”
Yet skepticism endures: Tens of thousands of Afghans—former officials, journalists, human rights activists, and collaborators with U.S. forces—remain deeply unsettled. With few legal avenues to safe resettlement and the international community’s engagement still provisional, many now wonder if return means refuge—or risk.
Why It Matters
U.S. Travel Ban Implications
Effective June 9, the ban bars new visas for Afghans and several other countries. It halts refugee programs and educational pathways, even with exemptions for some Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders.
Pakistan’s Deportation Drive
Islamabad’s phased plan—beginning March 31—has mobilized intensive round‑ups across major cities, pushing out documented and undocumented Afghans alike. By April, over 80,000 had been expelled; UN data suggests more than 910,000 have been forced home since late 2023
Humanitarian Toll
Aid groups caution that these returnees face disruptions in education, health, and livelihood, while the Taliban’s continued restrictions on women and minorities deepen their vulnerability
The Stakes Ahead
Taliban policy vs. ground reality – Can the pledges of amnesty and media-friendly narratives translate into actual protections?
Diaspora dilemma – Will Afghans abroad accept the Taliban’s invitation, or remain trapped by shrinking escape routes?
Global response – How will Washington and Islamabad proceed when regional tensions escalate and humanitarian obligations collide with security concerns?
The unfolding developments—contrasting the Taliban’s reconciliatory rhetoric with harsh migration policies from abroad—paint a complex portrait of a country at a crossroads, where every return could either stitch wounds or deepen divides.
