10 April 2004	Saturday	19 Safar 1425

KOHAT, April 9: The UNHCR has decided to send its mobile teams to North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Kurram tribal region and southern parts of the NWFP to start verification of the Afghan refugees, sources said.

Officials said the mobile teams would visit the areas in the tribal region along the Afghan border to start verification of the refugees.

The teams have been equipped with state-of-the-art Iris machines to detect 'recyclers'. The UN agency would also send its teams to Hazara and Bajaur to facilitate refugees wanting to go back to their homeland under the ongoing repatriation programme.

The UNHCR started its voluntary repatriation programme in Pakistan from March 1. A verification centre is already functioning on the outskirts of Peshawar. An official said that the exercise was delayed due to the law and order situation in some parts of the tribal areas and the fragile security situation inside Afghanistan near its border with Pakistan.

District administrator for Afghan refugees Ibrahim Khan Khattak informed Dawn that the UNHCR staff had visited the refugee camps in Kohat, Hangu and Parachinar during the last few days and held meetings with the local staff of the Afghan Commissionerate in this regard.

He said that Ali Zai camp in the Kurram Agency had been declared their new headquarters. At present, they are running both the offices in Kohat as well as in the Kurram Agency for helping the UNCHR staff in the verification process.

The administrator said that at least 260 families had vacated the Ghamkol Camp No.1, which was the site for a swimming pool. The commissionerate had issued notices to the inmates of the camp and 1820 refugees started shifting from the area two months ago to new places where most of them took shelter with their relatives.