More than 18,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan last month, according to a report by Tolo News on Saturday.

Of the 18,300 returnees, approximately 1,000 undocumented migrants were forcibly deported after being arrested in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the report stated.

Since the Government of Pakistan launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan on September 15, 2023, over 825,600 Afghans have returned home.

The Afghan caretaker government continues to encourage Afghan nationals living abroad to return and contribute to the rebuilding of their war-torn country.