• Senate panel regrets tourists were not barred from travelling to vulnerable areas, despite NDMA alerts
• Calls for revised Afghan refugee policy that balances humanitarian obligations and national security

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Friday expressed concern over the lack of preparedness of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) governments and their failure to act on early warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions, presided over by Senator Asad Qasim at the Parliament House, voiced displeasure over the absence of the GB chief secretary, stressing that the participation of senior officials was vital for effective parliamentary deliberations and meaningful decision-making.

The committee decided to defer the agenda pertaining to Gilgit-Baltistan and directed that senior GB officers must ensure their presence at future meetings.

Senators Faisal Saleem Rehman, Attaul Haq and Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, the ministry’s additional secretary and senior officials from relevant departments attended the meeting. The committee members were briefed on monsoon-induced damage, relief operations, and tourism-related challenges in Azad Kashmir.

The State Disaster Management Authority secretary informed the meeting that since June 26, AJK had faced nine spells of monsoon rains following a May cloudburst. These disasters claimed 28 lives, damaged over 2,100 houses and caused extensive destruction of public infrastructure, including roads, water supply schemes, schools and electricity networks.

Committee Chairman Asad Qasim observed that despite NDMA alerts, tourists were not restricted from entering vulnerable areas, which was the responsibility of the local administration. He also noted the absence of early warning systems in disaster-prone zones and suggested installing such systems at 100-kilometre intervals across AJK.

On financial matters, the chairman raised concerns over the monitoring of relief funds, including Rs3 billion provided by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet. He suggested setting up an ad hoc oversight mechanism comprising parliamentarians, the judiciary and other stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.

Mr Qasim also questioned the accuracy of official data, warning that incomplete surveys and underreporting undermined public trust.

About communication infrastructure, the senators regretted that private operators had failed to provide services in remote areas, leaving the Special Communication Organ­isation (SCO) as the only functioning network during calamities.

The committee recommended that the Universal Services Fund be used to expand coverage, particularly in tourist areas, as required by the law.

Refugee policy

The committee also called for a revised and coordinated policy on Afghan refugees that balances humanitarian obligations with national security needs.

Phase III of the deportation plan will begin on September 1, targeting Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. The committee was briefed on the role and scope of the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CCAR).

The CCAR chief commissioner informed the committee that, following the expiry of the voluntary repatriation deadline, Afghan refugees’ status had been changed to “aliens”.

The government’s “Illegal Foreigners Repa­triation Plan”, announced in October 2023, required all undocumented migr­ants to leave under a three-phase regime. Phase I, launched in October 2023, covered the return of all illegal foreigners. Phase II, beginning April 1, 2025, included the deportation of illegal foreigners along with Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. Since then, about 48,000 ACC holders have been deported. Phase III, starting September 1, will focus on POR card holders.

CCAR officials said that around 300,000 Afghans had voluntarily returned so far, with Sindh hosting nearly 80,000 refugees, and significant numbers residing in KP and Balochistan.

The committee members observed that undocumented refugees remained undercounted, while international funding for refugee management had largely dried up.

The officials said cooperation with the UNHCR was limited to humanitarian support, as agreements last revised in 2009 had expired.

The committee also sought clarity on the ownership of 54 refugee camps and their associated land assets.

“You know the numbers, you know the funds received, now we must ensure accountability, inter-ministerial cooperation, and clarity on the way forward,” the committee chairman said.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025