Inclement weather: UNHCR to suspend refugee repatriation
The measure will be effective from December 1, 2016
An Afghan refugee woman waits with her children to register at the UNHCR office. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has decided to stop voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan till March 31, 2017.
The measure will be effective from December 1, 2016.
Voluntary Repatriation Centre (VRC) Chamkani Peshawar Repatriate Assistant Alif Gul told The Express Tribune: “Since climate gets harder during the winter season in Afghanistan, therefore it is impossible to accommodate people in tents. That is why they have decided to close the repatriation process for four months.”
Gul said a large number of Afghan refugees have complained of facing problems in obtaining necessary documents, adding this four-month gap also provides an opportunity for refugees to correct and complete their legal documents.
Giving statistics of Afghan refugees who have been repatriated since January, he said some 72,767 families (368,838 individuals) have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan from three VRCs in K-P and Balochistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2016.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has decided to stop voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan till March 31, 2017.
The measure will be effective from December 1, 2016.
Voluntary Repatriation Centre (VRC) Chamkani Peshawar Repatriate Assistant Alif Gul told The Express Tribune: “Since climate gets harder during the winter season in Afghanistan, therefore it is impossible to accommodate people in tents. That is why they have decided to close the repatriation process for four months.”
Gul said a large number of Afghan refugees have complained of facing problems in obtaining necessary documents, adding this four-month gap also provides an opportunity for refugees to correct and complete their legal documents.
Giving statistics of Afghan refugees who have been repatriated since January, he said some 72,767 families (368,838 individuals) have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan from three VRCs in K-P and Balochistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2016.