Brutal Deportation from Pakistan: Sabera’s Journey with her 13-day-old baby at Torkham

Sabera, a young mother, was brutally deported from Pakistan with her 13-day-old baby, now stranded helplessly at Torkham border.

Standing in the dust and chaos of the Torkham border crossing, a young mother named Sabera clutches her 13-day-old baby tightly. Her face hidden behind a veil, Sabera has been waiting for four days with her children after being forcibly deported from Pakistan. Her story is one among hundreds of thousands, emblematic of the mass expulsion of Afghan nationals under Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.”

Sabera recounted how Pakistani authorities forced her family out without warning. “Because of these heartless people, I had to leave Pakistan with my newborn,” she said, referring to the police who evicted them from their home and sent them toward the border. Her husband, the family’s sole breadwinner, had made a living scavenging for recyclables—a meager but vital source of income.

That fragile livelihood was destroyed overnight. “My husband collected old items. Now we have nothing,” Sabera said, lamenting the fact that they were unable to bring even the little they had. Their belongings, and any sense of stability, were left behind in Pakistan. Now, the family faces extreme hardship with no financial means or shelter.

At the border, Sabera and her children share a cramped tent with three other families—16 people in total—under dire conditions. “I’m suffering from postpartum complications,” she said. Without access to proper medical care, her condition and that of her newborn are deteriorating. The overcrowded, unsanitary setting offers no relief for the vulnerable families gathered there.

Sabera’s children, all of whom are still very young, remain by her side in uncertainty. “I have nowhere to go,” she says with a voice heavy with fear and exhaustion. Though she dreams of returning to her native Baghlan province, the journey seems nearly impossible for a mother burdened with an infant and no resources.

Her situation reflects a broader humanitarian crisis. Between September 2023 and February 2025, more than 844,499 Afghans were expelled from Pakistan, with approximately 80% being women and children. Since April 1, 2025, over 44,900 people—the majority children—have returned through Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings. Most arrive with nothing but the clothes they wear, returning to a country where two-thirds of the population relies on humanitarian aid.

The UNFPA has reported that at least 17 women have given birth in border clinics since the second phase of deportations began—underscoring the acute medical needs on the ground. Aid agencies warn that without urgent funding, millions will lose access to health services. Child malnutrition and mortality could soar dramatically, given the scale of need and lack of infrastructure.

In response to the growing crisis, the humanitarian group Aseel launched the “2025 Afghan Returnee Emergency Campaign,” aiming to support families like Sabera’s. The initiative provides food, shelter, clothing, and medical aid to returnees stranded at border points and beyond. Aseel is calling for global support to sustain these life-saving efforts.

Additionally, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with UN Women, UNHCR, and other partners, is actively delivering humanitarian aid. This includes cash grants, hygiene kits, medical check-ups, food packages, and vaccinations for children—essential services to stabilize lives thrown into turmoil.

Sabera’s story is not an isolated tragedy—it is a mirror reflecting the suffering of hundreds of thousands. Her plea for help echoes the needs of many Afghan women and children cast into uncertainty by sudden deportation. Addressing this crisis requires sustained humanitarian support and international attention.

The situation at Torkham is a test of global solidarity. As organizations race to provide emergency relief, long-term solutions, including resettlement, rehabilitation, and economic support, must be prioritized to avoid an escalating humanitarian disaster.

Without concrete policy shifts and adequate funding, families like Sabera’s may face not just a loss of home, but a loss of hope. It is now the responsibility of the international community to respond with compassion, urgency, and resolve.

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