Fresh registration for Afghan refugees

Govt and UNHCR launch a nationwide project to issue new registration cards to Afghan refugees.

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan and UNHCR on Thursday formally launched a nationwide project to issue new registration cards to Afghan refugees.

During a press briefing, deputy chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Tariq Malik said the new project is an extension of the Afghan National Registration (ANR) project, which includes issuance of birth certificates to registered Afghan nationals, registration of Unregistered Members of Registered Families (UMRF) and acquisition of latest biometrics and demographic information of the Afghans.

“NADRA is proud to help the UN in developing a biometric refugee database. We would like to offer our expertise in multi-biometric citizen registration services to the UN,” said Malik.

Speaking on the occasion, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner T Alexander Aleinikoff said, “It is heartening to know that one million Afghan children are being issued with birth certificates.”

The new Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will be valid till 31 December 2012 and will provide an important identity document for some 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees.

NADRA will issue the new cards at more than 45 centres throughout Pakistan until February, 2011 while another 17 centres are expected to be opened in the coming weeks.

While more than 3.6 million Afghans have returned home with UNHCR’s help since 2002, some 1.6 million continue to seek protection in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2010.