Qatar funds $800K housing project for Afghan Returnees from Paktia
Qatar-backed project offers housing, school, and mosque as hundreds of Afghan families return from Pakistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — The Gulf state of Qatar is funding the construction of an $800,000 housing complex in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktia province to support Afghan families recently deported from Pakistan, local officials said.
Located near the Pakistan border, Paktia has seen a sharp influx of returnees in recent weeks amid Islamabad’s intensified campaign to remove undocumented Afghan nationals.
Nearly 300 families have returned to the province during the second phase of Pakistan’s mass deportations, often arriving without shelter or basic supplies.
According to a report by Tolo News, the new complex in Gardez — the provincial capital — will include 100 houses, a school, mosque, religious seminary, several shops, and a clean drinking water system linked to individual homes. Officials say the goal is to provide returning families with long-term stability and access to essential services.
“The one hundred houses being built by Qatar will include all vital facilities,” said Habibullah Shaheedzada, Director of Refugees and Repatriation in Paktia. “A school, madrasa, mosque, several shops, and a drinking water supply network will be connected to each individual home. Other daily-life services have also been considered.”
Returnees have welcomed the initiative but are also urging the interim Taliban-led government and international aid organizations to expand housing and employment support.
“We thank Qatar for helping with housing,” said Rahim Gul, who was deported from Pakistan. “Other countries and organizations should also support returning migrants, because we left everything behind and came back empty-handed.”
Abdulwahid, another returnee, said he is living in tents donated by locals while waiting for assistance. “This is the land of my ancestors — I’m happy to be back. We won’t starve, because we have our people and our community here. But I need help building my house. I’ve already drawn up the plan.”
With more families expected to return from Pakistan in the coming weeks, humanitarian organizations warn that shelter, food, and employment will remain critical needs in one of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable border regions.
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