The United Nations on Thursday called on Pakistan to temporarily stop deporting Afghan refugees as Afghanistan struggles with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake in the country’s east.

The quake killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes in border provinces. Many of the hardest-hit villages were home to families recently returned from Pakistan.

The UN Refugee Agency said continued deportations would further weaken Afghans’ ability to respond to the crisis. It urged Pakistan to pause removals out of humanitarian concern.

According to official figures, more than 1.2 million Afghans have been deported from Pakistan since 2023. So far this year alone, more than 443,000 have been forced to return.