Voluntary, forced: Change in government policies expedites repatriation of Afghans

UNHCR enhances staff capacity at centre in Chamkani

PESHAWAR: The government’s shift in policies towards Afghanistan has caused a sharp increase in voluntary and forced repatriation of Afghan nationals to their motherland.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has enhanced its work capacity, hired more staff, at the Voluntary Repatriation Center (VRC) in Chamkani, Peshawar to make repatriation easy.

While talking to The Express Tribune, UNHCR Spokesperson in Peshawar Samad Khan said in the first half of the current calendar year around 1,070 families, comprising 4,918 individuals, returned to Afghanistan under UNHCR’s volunteer scheme. However, he added, after Eidul Fitr repatriation process of Afghan nationals from all over K-P has been expedited.



At least 19,530 people went back to Afghanistan from K-P between July 1 and August 4, Samad said, confirming the sharp increase in repatriation.  To a question, the spokesperson said the number of staffers at VRC in Chamkani was also increased. “Now UNHCR can manage repatriation of 1,800 families on a daily basis,” he said.

All Afghans who are to be repatriated have been requested to get prior appointment for registration and enrolment. So far, he added, registration is likely to be completed by the end of August.

Moreover, high-ups in UNHCR have also been consulting their counterparts from Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and elders of Afghan nationals in different camps and localities throughout the province. Samad said they were trying to ensure presence of families registered at the centre in Chamkani.

Outside the register

However, officials of the political administration of Khyber Agency in Torkham said at least 1,200 individuals left for their motherland during a period of one week.  They were not registered.

Afghans illegally residing in Pakistan are getting nothing from UNHCR or from the Afghan government. While Afghan authorities have stated a camp had been established — for all those without shelter — near the border city of Jalalabad, Afghan nationals have said they were living under the open sky at different points from Torkham till Sarobi in Kabul.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2016.