Islamabad: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported yesterday that more than one million Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan so far this year.

According to Nam News Network, the agency has bolstered its presence at key border crossing points to assist the returnees, many of whom include women and children arriving in a state of exhaustion and in urgent need of help. The organization, along with its partners, is providing temporary shelters, relief items, and protection services to support families upon their arrival.

The UNHCR highlighted the challenges posed by the intensifying winter conditions and the strain on humanitarian resources, which are creating a widening gap between the urgent needs of the returnees and the available support.