Afghan refugee repatriation: Cabinet to give final word on Dec 31 deadline

UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres says security concerns must be balanced with rights

PESHAWAR:

Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said a cabinet meeting will be convened to decide if Afghan refugees can be repatriated by December 31. The documentation process of unregistered Afghan refugees would start from June 25.

He shared this at a joint press conference at the UNHCR or the UN Refugee Agency’s Voluntary Repatriation Centre in Chamkani on Tuesday during the visit of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. Guterres was on an official trip to Pakistan during which he went to the UNHCR unit in the city. The agency deals with roughly 13 million (as it stood till mid-2014) refugees across the world.

During the conference, Baloch said the final decision on the repatriation of the refugees will be taken by the cabinet. “The decision will be taken based on ground-realities in sight,” he said, hinting at deteriorating law and order in Afghanistan. However, he emphasised, “The deadline for the repatriation of Afghan refugees is December 31. [Going back] will be a three-phased process.”

In solidarity

Guterres, who also met refugees, lauded the efforts of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to host one million registered Afghan refugees. He appreciated the government for ensuring registered refugees had access to basic services, and for upholding international norms and obligations.

“It is in the spirit of solidarity of the holy month of Ramazan that I have come to visit Pakistan,” he said.

Talking to refugees’ families, the high commissioner said nothing was as gratifying as going back to one’s own roots and motherland after so many years in exile.

“The current Afghan government is very serious about the repatriation of the refugees,” said Guterres. The UN called a meeting on the peaceful and voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees, he shared. “This will take place in October this year – the president of Afghanistan has also been invited, as well as senior Pakistani officials,” said Guterres. While the situation in Afghanistan is not conducive, President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah are said to be committed to the refugee cause, he added.

Throwing his weight behind the voluntary repatriation programme, the UNHCR chief said, “So far, 42,000 Afghan refugees have voluntary repatriated under the UNHCR-assisted voluntary repatriation programme of which 22,000 went from K-P.”

According to the Pakistani government’s plans, the first phase of forced repatriation would include those people who are living in small camps. In the second phase those refugees in larger camps will be repatriated. During the third phase, the remaining refugees will be sent back to Afghanistan.

Reiterating support

Earlier in the day, Guterres inaugurated a new emergency assessment unit (EAU) at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) in the city.

The new block will benefit around 9,500 patients per year, of which 25% are estimated to be Afghan refugees. The EAU’s construction has been funded by the People of the United States of America through UNHCR, the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and the UN’s Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) initiative. The total cost of the project is Rs35 million; Rs30.5 million represents the construction cost and Rs4.50 million the cost of medical equipment.

During the ceremony, the high commissioner restated UNHCR’s commitment to share the burden of hosting Afghan refugee on Pakistan’s turf.

“The international community highly values Pakistan’s generous support to Afghan refugees, despite facing countless challenges,” said Guterres.

He reassured the provincial government the UNHCR shares its concerns about its resources being misused by those who might support militant outfits. “No refugee is above the law of the host country,” he said. “However, these concerns must be balanced with the need to respect the rights of refugees.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2015.