26 August 2004	Thursday	09 Rajab 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has not made any arrangement to register Afghan refugees in Sindh, Punjab and tribal areas and thousands of them are not likely to be able to use their right to vote in Oct 9 presidential elections in Afghanistan.

An IOM official told Dawn here on Wednesday that the decision not to set up registration centres in Sindh and Punjab had been taken by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Joint Election Management Body.

However, he said, the refugees in these two provinces would be registered if they travelled to the NWFP and Balochistan on their own. The IOM would not provide them transportation facilities or any other logistical support for registration scheduled for Oct 1-3, he said.

Asked about the right of vote of hundreds of thousands of Afghans in different cities of Pakistan, Ms Bilquis said: "That decision was made by JEMB and UNAMA and that's how much we can do in such a short time. But so far the response we have got from the refugees is that they are very excited and willing to travel."

In reply to a question if IOM was giving any assistance or facilitating the refugees in Sindh and Punjab to travel to the NWFP or Balochistan, Ms Bilquis' reply was in the negative.