ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to sign an agreement to pave way for the voluntary repatriation of some 400,000 refugees from Pakistan.

Speaking at a news conference, UNHCR spokesperson Melita Sunjic said the commission hoped to finalise the accord by March.

The spokesperson said that during the first phase, Afghan refugees would be registered in five fixed and two mobile repatriation centres in the NWFP, Balochistan and Karachi.

The refugees would be asked to fill in a form and confirm that their repatriation is voluntary. Then the refugees will individually organize the journeys to Afghanistan, she said.

During the second phase, she said, the refugees would report at the border to the UNHCR information points and receive cash grants to cover the travel expenses.

During the third phase in March, she said, distribution centres would be established in all provinces of Afghanistan, where the returnees would be able to collect packages to cover their immediate needs.