The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan are working to repatriate maximum Afghan refugees to their home country by June 30. PHOTO: FILE
The centres have been set up at Chamkani and Buner areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and at Baleli in Balochistan.
On Sunday, an official of the ministry said these centres are kept operational throughout the year, despite the previous practice of winter breaks to facilitate and maximise voluntary repatriation. He added that to encourage and motivate the Afghan refugees, the repatriation package of $100 per returnee has also been enhanced from $100 to $150 with free-of-charge transportation.
The official further said 55,283 Afghan refugee families comprising 296,192 individuals were repatriated during the last four years, bringing the total repatriation to over 3.8 million since 2002.
He said the government of Afghanistan has established 48 reintegration cites at various secure places for returning Afghan refugees.
Highlighting other measures for the repatriation during the last four years, the official said a repatriation strategy was being pursued in line with the Tripartite Agreement between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
He said the strategy, along with tripartite agreement, is valid till June 30 and is under implementation with main focus to repatriate maximum number of Afghan refugees, provided there is no drastic change in the situation. The official said the governments of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan and UNHCR jointly developed a multi-year approach “Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to host countries” in the regional context that was agreed to last year.
Subsequently, this approach was endorsed by international community in a stakeholders’ conference. He added the focus of this approach is on creation of conditions conducive for voluntary repatriation through community based investments in areas of high return as well as building of Afghan refugee capital linked to livelihood opportunities in Afghanistan to facilitate return.
The remaining number of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan is 1.6 million, he said and added to deal with repatriation of these remaining refugees, a Cabinet committee was constituted under chairmanship of the minister for SAFRON with members from ministries of interior, foreign affairs and other relevant agencies.
The basic objective of the committee is to find ways and means to expedite the repatriation up till June 30 and coordinate, consult and deliberate with government of Afghanistan, UNHCR and other stakeholders and prepare specific modalities and strategies for solution-oriented future course of action.
Moreover, he said the international community is being pursued continuously for enhanced and continued support to ensure maximum repatriation and no effort or opportunity is spared to resolve the protracted issue of Afghan refugees.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2013.
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