Pregnant Afghan Woman Dies At Pakistan Checkpoint Amid Administrative Delays

Pakistani police said the woman, originally from Kunduz province, was awaiting completion of her immigration paperwork at the Bekyari checkpoint when she went into labor.

She tragically died before reaching a hospital due to the lack of timely medical assistance. Local sources say long, complex administrative procedures and inadequate healthcare services continue to put Afghan migrants at serious risk.

Pakistan, alongside Iran, hosts one of the largest Afghan refugee populations, with many facing bureaucratic hurdles and limited access to essential services.

Humanitarian organizations have urged authorities to streamline administrative procedures and ensure immediate medical care, especially for pregnant women and other vulnerable migrants.

Thousands of Afghan refugees live in crowded settlements and informal camps across Pakistan, often lacking access to basic healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. These conditions heighten the risk of preventable deaths, particularly among women and children.

Refugees frequently report long waits at immigration and aid offices, leaving critical needs unmet. Humanitarian agencies warn that without urgent reforms, more migrants could die from complications during pregnancy, illness, or accidents-underscoring the urgent humanitarian crisis facing Afghanistan's displaced population in Pakistan.

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