Return of Refugees as a Security Strategy: Afghan Refugees and Border Politics in Pakistan

Afghan refugees in Pakistan especially in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan have long been a source of security concern. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghanistan refugees were seeking refuge in Pakistan. The reaction at first was sympathetic, but in the long run, the sustainability of these immigrants changed into manifold security problem. This research paper looks at the security concerns that are connected to the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan with regard to the military and non-military dimensions of security. Some of the issues that were discussed include the rise of insurgency in the refugee camps, how the refugees groups may become a breeding pool of extremists, and how the Afghan refugees have contributed to the rise in cross-border militancy.