ISLAMABAD: Around 500 refugee families are returning to Afghanistan every day, a United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) spokesman said on Sunday.
"When refugees return, their identity is verified through the latest IRIS test, then they are issued registration forms," said the spokesman.
Every person who leaves is given $400 of financial assistance, he said, adding that two centres have been established to facilitate the return of refugees.
One center is located in the Chamkani area of Peshawar, which assists refugees returning from the areas of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Islamabad.
The other centre is located in Quetta, where refugees from Sindh and Balochistan can establish contact to get a date for their return and complete other formalities.
According to the spokesman, IRIS test is conducted to ensure that the refugees not return from Afghanistan after getting the financial assistance.
"When the refugees arrive in Afghanistan, every person gets $400 within seven days of applying at the UNHCR centres working in Kandahar, Kabul and Jalalabad," he added.
$350 are given as financial assistance and $50 are given for transportation, the spokesperson further elaborated.
Around 300 trucks leave Pakistan daily to transport refugees back to Afghanistan.
Earlier in June, UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced to double the individual assistance package for Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan.
Refugees returning to Afghanistan were given $200 per person for assistance before this raise.
