Holding camps have been established and Afghan refugees are being repatriated via the Pak-Afghan border in Balochistan’s Chaman district, according to a district official on Thursday.

The second phase of sending back Afghan refugees was due to begin today (Thursday) following the expiration of a government deadline of March 31 for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country voluntarily.

However, a senior official at the Afghan Commissionerate told Dawn.com that repatriation had been delayed due to Eidul Fitr as per Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s instructions.

Habib Ahmad Bangulzai, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chaman district, told Dawn.com on Thursday that the return of ACC holders began on April 2 (Wednesday) and that holding camps had been set up along the Afghan border, including one at Jamal Nasir football stadium.

“The Chaman district administration completed arrangements before Eidul Fitr, for which a database camp was set up at the LPG terminal at Bab Dosti border crossing point,” he said.

“It will not only have data transit entry but will also house Afghan families in case the border gate is closed.”

Bangulzai added that through Nadra, the biometric verification of Afghan citizens will be carried out in the Bab Dosti camp and that Afghan families left behind during processing will be provided with accommodation and food.

“More than 3,500 families are registered in Chaman district, of which two families have voluntarily returned,” the DC said. “Levies have taken action and shifted eight other families to holding camps. After entering their data into Nadra and other processes, they will be sent back to their homeland across the border.”

Bangulzai also told Dawn.com that DCs in other areas of Balochistan have also reached out to him for repatriation drives as Chaman is the “Pak-Afghan gateway”.

“Afghan families coming from other districts will have their data re-entered in Chaman, after which they will be made to cross the border,” he said.