Exodus more: Afghan refugees being repatriated this year
Compared to 2011, there is a 34 per cent increase in repatriation trends: UNHCR.
PESHAWAR:
The repatriation of Afghan refugees is picking up gradually as most of the challenges hindering the process have been overcome.
This was stated by Minister for State and Frontier Regions Shaukatullah while speaking to reporters at the Chamkani Voluntary Repatriation Centre on Thursday.
The minister acknowledged the efforts of UNHCR in facilitating a surge of voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees for the remainder of the year.
“The return of Afghan refugees to their homeland will continue to be voluntary and dignified,” he added.
According to UNHCR, voluntary repatriation trends indicate a 34 per cent increase in the number of Afghan refugee returning to their country, as compared to 2011. So far this year, over 62,500 Afghans have repatriated.
Shaukatullah elaborated on a new strategy that is being formulated for Afghan refugees Pakistan in 2013 and beyond, adding that it will be implemented after approval of the Cabinet.
The representative of the UN Refugee Agency in Pakistan, Neill Wright said that since the start of November, UNHCR Pakistan has enhanced the return package available to every registered refugee returning to Afghanistan under the agency’s facilitated return programme.
Wright noted that UNCHR has supported the government of Pakistan and provided hundreds of millions of dollars as assistance to the refugees hosted in Pakistan over past three decades. He further stated the government continues to respect the fundamental principle that repatriation is voluntary and that no refugee will be forced back.
UNHCR Associate Public Information Officer Duniya Aslam Khan said that Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan will form a strategy to decide a permanent solution to Afghan refugee problem. She said that the refugee families are being offered limited transport assistance from the voluntary repatriation centres in Pakistan to the encashment centres in Afghanistan. This assistance package is in addition to the $150 cash grant provided to returning families and will continue till the end of December. She said that by which time a review of whether the cash grant should be increased in line with inflationary costs will have been completed.
Khan said that since September, UNHCR has also started facilitating groups of returning families that originate from the same areas inside Afghanistan. She added that so far four groups comprising 1,300 Afghan refugees have returned home under the facilitated group return programme from the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Afghan Consulate Deputy Director Abdul Hameed Jalali said that 48 cities in Afghanistan have been selected for these refugees, where peace has been restored and the people have started their own business.
UNCHR has assisted more than 3.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan to return to Afghanistan since 2002 in the world’s largest voluntary repatriation movement.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2012.
The repatriation of Afghan refugees is picking up gradually as most of the challenges hindering the process have been overcome.
This was stated by Minister for State and Frontier Regions Shaukatullah while speaking to reporters at the Chamkani Voluntary Repatriation Centre on Thursday.
The minister acknowledged the efforts of UNHCR in facilitating a surge of voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees for the remainder of the year.
“The return of Afghan refugees to their homeland will continue to be voluntary and dignified,” he added.
According to UNHCR, voluntary repatriation trends indicate a 34 per cent increase in the number of Afghan refugee returning to their country, as compared to 2011. So far this year, over 62,500 Afghans have repatriated.
Shaukatullah elaborated on a new strategy that is being formulated for Afghan refugees Pakistan in 2013 and beyond, adding that it will be implemented after approval of the Cabinet.
The representative of the UN Refugee Agency in Pakistan, Neill Wright said that since the start of November, UNHCR Pakistan has enhanced the return package available to every registered refugee returning to Afghanistan under the agency’s facilitated return programme.
Wright noted that UNCHR has supported the government of Pakistan and provided hundreds of millions of dollars as assistance to the refugees hosted in Pakistan over past three decades. He further stated the government continues to respect the fundamental principle that repatriation is voluntary and that no refugee will be forced back.
UNHCR Associate Public Information Officer Duniya Aslam Khan said that Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan will form a strategy to decide a permanent solution to Afghan refugee problem. She said that the refugee families are being offered limited transport assistance from the voluntary repatriation centres in Pakistan to the encashment centres in Afghanistan. This assistance package is in addition to the $150 cash grant provided to returning families and will continue till the end of December. She said that by which time a review of whether the cash grant should be increased in line with inflationary costs will have been completed.
Khan said that since September, UNHCR has also started facilitating groups of returning families that originate from the same areas inside Afghanistan. She added that so far four groups comprising 1,300 Afghan refugees have returned home under the facilitated group return programme from the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Afghan Consulate Deputy Director Abdul Hameed Jalali said that 48 cities in Afghanistan have been selected for these refugees, where peace has been restored and the people have started their own business.
UNCHR has assisted more than 3.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan to return to Afghanistan since 2002 in the world’s largest voluntary repatriation movement.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2012.