A balancing act
he key now is to implement the National Action Plan while protecting the vulnerable among Afghan refugees
A huge gap exists between policy imperatives and service provisions in Pakistan. Even the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), recognised internationally for its success in providing solutions for identification and e-governance, falls far short of expectations on this count.
It must be conceded that the authority was indeed preoccupied with the task of registration. And NADRA did, after all, register some 370,000 Afghan refugees across the country, as dictated by the policy drawn up by the government last year.
US nudging India, Pakistan to table
Yet, at the same time, the authority failed to provide a single card to the refugees. Apparently the process of printing cards for registered Afghan citizens has not begun yet — which is a bit shocking since the countrywide registration of undocumented Afghan nationals has been going on since August 16. In these last four months a total of 370,000 undocumented Afghan nationals were counted and registered. Of these, 230,000 alone were registered in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa alone.
Another quarter of a million are living in the province. By the time the final deadline for registration lapses early next year, the exercise would lose some of its purpose and meaning while causing unnecessary hardship for Afghan refugees, already stressed out by the uncertainty surrounding their status.
Islamabad intends to register around one million Afghan citizens thought to be staying in Pakistan without valid documents. Once issued, the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) will enable them to legalise their stay in Pakistan for an indefinite period. Their earlier refugee status left them highly vulnerable to arrest and harassment at the hands of law-enforcement officials.
Pakistan paying the price for security vacuum in Afghanistan: DG ISPR
There are other reasons for Afghans wishing to obtain the card — many amongst them want to escape violence, unrest and instability in their home country and continue living in Pakistan. Last year, up to 400,000 refugees returned to Afghanistan — fewer than expected — owing to fears over instability. The key now is to implement the National Action Plan while protecting the vulnerable among Afghan refugees.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2017.
It must be conceded that the authority was indeed preoccupied with the task of registration. And NADRA did, after all, register some 370,000 Afghan refugees across the country, as dictated by the policy drawn up by the government last year.
US nudging India, Pakistan to table
Yet, at the same time, the authority failed to provide a single card to the refugees. Apparently the process of printing cards for registered Afghan citizens has not begun yet — which is a bit shocking since the countrywide registration of undocumented Afghan nationals has been going on since August 16. In these last four months a total of 370,000 undocumented Afghan nationals were counted and registered. Of these, 230,000 alone were registered in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa alone.
Another quarter of a million are living in the province. By the time the final deadline for registration lapses early next year, the exercise would lose some of its purpose and meaning while causing unnecessary hardship for Afghan refugees, already stressed out by the uncertainty surrounding their status.
Islamabad intends to register around one million Afghan citizens thought to be staying in Pakistan without valid documents. Once issued, the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) will enable them to legalise their stay in Pakistan for an indefinite period. Their earlier refugee status left them highly vulnerable to arrest and harassment at the hands of law-enforcement officials.
Pakistan paying the price for security vacuum in Afghanistan: DG ISPR
There are other reasons for Afghans wishing to obtain the card — many amongst them want to escape violence, unrest and instability in their home country and continue living in Pakistan. Last year, up to 400,000 refugees returned to Afghanistan — fewer than expected — owing to fears over instability. The key now is to implement the National Action Plan while protecting the vulnerable among Afghan refugees.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2017.