A pregnant Afghan refugee woman died after prolonged delays in the registration process at the Bhagyarai check post in Khyber district’s Landi Kotal tehsil, raising serious concerns over administrative inefficiencies and lack of basic facilities.

According to sources, the deceased belonged to Afghanistan’s Kunduz province and was present at the check post along with her family for clearance. During the long wait, her condition deteriorated; she reportedly lost consciousness and later could not survive complications during childbirth.

She was shifted to a hospital in critical condition but succumbed, officials and local sources confirmed.

Local residents and members of civil society expressed deep concern over the incident, stating that the woman’s life could have been saved if timely medical assistance and an efficient registration system had been in place.

Observers described the incident as reflective of administrative negligence and poor planning, where basic humanitarian needs are being overlooked.

Residents have urged the government and relevant authorities to take immediate steps to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure emergency medical facilities for refugees at transit points.

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Meanwhile, sources said around 14,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their country over the past eight days, but the process remains fraught with difficulties. At the Torkham border and adjoining check posts, slow registration and clearance procedures have forced refugees to wait for hours, and in some cases, an entire day.

Eyewitnesses said women, children and the elderly are among the worst affected, often forced to stand in long queues. Several families are spending time in the open, with limited access to clean drinking water and safe shelter.

Social workers warned that more such tragedies could occur if urgent measures are not taken. They stressed the need to make the repatriation process organised, swift and humane.

Officials, however, maintained that efforts are underway to improve the system, though the increasing number of returnees is posing challenges.

Public circles have called on authorities to treat the repatriation of Afghan refugees not merely as an administrative exercise but as a humanitarian issue requiring immediate and effective intervention.