14 February 2004	Saturday	22 Zilhaj 1424

PESHAWAR, Feb 13: A majority of Afghan refugees living in Shalman camp in Khyber Agency have preferred to continue living in Pakistan instead of going back to their homeland, according to a UN survey.

A UNHCR press release issued here on Friday said about half of the refugees living in the camp have said they would like to return to their war-ravaged country when the UN refugee agency closes it in March.

About 53 per cent of the inmates, however, said they would opt for a relocation to another refugee camp in the NWFP and tribal areas, the UNHCR survey found. Under the plan, the residents of Shalman camp would be relocated to Kotkai camp in Bajaur Agency.

The camp, home to about 10,000 refugees, is being closed because of a dwindling population and an isolated, waterless location near the Khyber Pass that has made provision of humanitarian assistance difficult and expensive.

The press release said the Kotkai camp, an area with ample water supply, could easily accommodate the 820 families from Shalman who have been asked to relocate.

The UNHCR will start its relocation programme on March 8 and all those refugee families who have chosen to get themselves relocated would be shifted to Kotkai camp.

The UN agency intends to continue the process of consolidating the new camps during the current year and the next. Plans for closing down two camps in Balochistan await agreement with the government of Pakistan on the alternative camp sites, where those not wishing to go back their homes will be relocated. A further consolidation in the NWFP is also under discussion.

Under its voluntary repatriation programme, UNHCR has assisted some 1.9 million Afghans to return to Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban, and has made provision to assist up to 400,000 more to go back their home this year, said the press release.