|
|
|
| December 29, 2001 | Saturday | Shawwal 13, 1422 |
Afghan refugees return seen imminent
ISLAMABAD Dec 27: After the effective implementation of a complete ban on the entry of fresh Afghan displaced people (ADPs), the government of Pakistan now expects the start of a rapid repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan, as political and military conditions there become stable.
A steep decrease in the pressure of externally displaced people (EDPs) on bordering points is visible as some repatriation of refugees has already been witnessed.
The government has, however, contested the figures of voluntary repatriation of over 30,000 since Dec 5, as shown by United Nations High commission for refugees (UNHCR) and put the number at 9,434 individuals.
It has been indicated that a good number of internally displaced people have started returning to their homes which means that there is hope that those Afghans, who were displaced from urban areas in Afghanistan and were forced to enter Pakistan, would also be returning soon.
The government intends to launch a campaign to convince the Afghan DPs to return to Afghanistan.
The Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees (CCAR), Syed Asif Shah, told a news conference here on Thursday that the government hoped that not only the refugees’ concentrations from urban centres would start voluntary repatriation but those living in difficult situations in camps would also be convinced to return back.
He said that the process of shifting of non-Pakhtoon refugees from Jallozai camp, suspended due to security reasons, will soon be resumed as the process was continuing in the refugee camps in Bajawar and Roghani camps in Balochistan; 50,139 individuals have already been shifted.
The UNHCR and WFP, he said, had contributed enormously for the Afghans as the six-month budget of the former had been set at $34.4 million. It has procured relief goods worth $11.804 million, more then half of which is from Pakistan.
The WFP has been able to cater to the food needs of some six million Afghan EDPs and IDPs during this period.
Shah told a questioner that it was hoped that the Afghan refugees, who opted to remain unregistered so far, would get themselves registered and would ultimately decide in favour of voluntary return to their homes.
He said that a total of 11 new camps have been designed for the NWFP of which two will be in Bajawar, two in Mohmand, three in Khyber, four in Kurram, one each in North and South Waziristan agencies with Dir and Chitral camps already in place.
He further disclosed that some 1.8 million Afghans, including about 1.2 million registered, were present in the NWFP.
|
|
|
|
