Envoy wants Pak-Afghan border dismantled

Afghanistan suggests removing border with Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Not sealing, but removing border is the solution to issues, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Omar Zakhilwal said on Tuesday.

He was visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Voluntarily Repatriation Centre (VRC) in Chamkani Peshawar to meet the returning Afghan refugees and check their repatriation process.

Briefing newsmen on the occasion, he said Afghanistan is ready to help Pakistan resolve all issues through mutual consultations and will never support sealing of the Pak-Afghan border as restrictions and sanctions are not the solution to issues.

Zakhilwal said both Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing terrorism and its elimination is only possible if both the countries trust each other and work together against it.

Zakhilwal denied commenting on Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav’s death sentence handed down by Pakistan and said that it is a matter between Pakistan and India.

He said last year around 380,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan. He welcomed the refugees and said that Afghanistan has made preparations for the increasing number of returning people.

Zakhilwal appreciated the UNHCR centre’s role in the repatriation of Afghan refugees.

Talking to The Express Tribune, UNHCR External Relations Associate Samad Khan said till March 31, 2017 around 1.41 million Afghans registered as refugees stayed in different cities of Pakistan.

He said that in 2016, approximately 784,253 refugees returned through VRC Peshawar, while in April to date around 594 families have been repatriated.

He said that UNHCR VRC, Peshawar remained closed for four months due to chilly weather in Afghanistan and re-started repatriation process on April 3.

He said 300 refugees return to their home country on a daily basis. At first UNHCR used to provide $400 per head to refugees but now it has reduced it to $200 per head due to shortage of global funds.