Pak deportations send Gospel to Afghanistan
By Katey Hearth | December 3, 2025
Pakistan (MNN) — Pakistan intensifies deportation efforts amid clashes with Afghanistan, claiming all Afghan refugees are a threat to national security.
“There’s an undertow of frustration and discrimination, if you will, against the Afghan people,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.
Military tensions escalated last week as both nations closed their borders. Pakistani airstrikes killed civilians in Afghanistan following a terrorist attack in western Pakistan. “This is an area that has had continuous conflict,” Kelley notes.
“From an Afghan perspective, there’s been a long-standing border dispute. They disagree with the borders that were drawn, and that has caused frustration,” Kelley explains.
“[The boundary line] went right in between the Pashtun people, so half became Pakistani citizens, the other half became Afghan citizens, and that has not set well with Afghanistan and the Taliban.”
Meanwhile, Pakistani officials “look at Afghanistan as being a sanctuary for terrorists that are causing disruption inside of Pakistan.”
Forced returns: a silver lining
Diplomatic fallout between the neighboring countries hits refugees the hardest. So far this year, roughly a third of all Afghan refugees living in Pakistan – some one million people – have been forced back to Afghanistan.
Yet hope follows on the heels of hardship. Afghanistan and Pakistan have “high concentrations of oral learners, so we send our solar-powered audio Bible in the languages spoken by the people of both countries,” Kelley says.
“We just trained about 200 Afghans that were forcibly sent back into Afghanistan (from Pakistan), and that created an opportunity for the Gospel.”
How to help
Consider partnering with Unknown Nations to send audio Bibles into these Muslim nations. A gift of $35 shares Jesus with eight people, often leading to two new decisions for Christ.
“We need to find creative solutions and partner with organizations, like Unknown Nations and others, who have infrastructure in these areas where the Gospel is being shared,” Kelley says.
“We cannot, as the Church, steer away from these places because of the complexities.”
Most importantly, pray. Ask the Lord to strengthen and empower church planters in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pray that Unknown Nations will receive the funding it needs to send more audio Bibles to the region.
Header image courtesy of Unknown Nations.
Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pak-deportations-send-gospel-to-afghanistan/