KABUL, Aug 22: Afghanistan called on Pakistan on Monday to postpone the closure of all refugee camps in the Pakistani tribal regions, which are being shut by the end of the month for what Islamabad says are security reasons.

The Afghan government said in a statement that every decision about the fate of the 32 camps being closed should follow an earlier three-way agreement between Islamabad, Kabul and the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

“The fate of Afghan refugees is legally bound to be taken in accordance with the international law and the provisions of a tripartite agreement,” the Afghan government said in a statement.

Thousands of refugees are defying the orders, protesting that they need at least two years to move out of the camps which have provided shelter for more than 20 years to Afghans fleeing their war-torn homeland.

Many say they need time to wind up their decades-old businesses and sell out their properties.

Pakistan has ordered camps in the semi-autonomous tribal area in NWFP to close by August 31 because of “security concerns”.

The UN refugee agency has said that it supported the relocations as clashes between Pakistani forces and suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban fugitives had made it “impossible” to assist the refugees properly.

UNHCR spokesman Jack Redden said some of the refugees had started going home but many more had yet to make the journey.

Around 385 were repatriated from camps in Bajaur tribal region on Monday and more than 3,000 Afghans had registered themselves to return home, he said.

About three million Afghans are still living in Pakistan, more than 25 years after the 1979 Soviet invasion forced millions of Afghans to flee to Pakistan and Iran. Tens of thousands live in the tribal areas.—AFP