SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The administration of Lower South Waziristan district on Friday said the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees was continuing in a “orderly, phased manner.”

Deputy commissioner Musarrat Zaman told Dawn that around 2,900 Afghan citizens had returned to Afghanistan through the Angoor Adda border crossing in the last three weeks. He added that the returnees included men, women and children.

“The district administration, with the support of security forces, is ensuring that the process moves on peacefully and returning families are provided with essential facilities before their departure,” he said.

According to the district administration, the refugee repatriation is being carried out in an organised manner with cooperation from the relevant forces.

DC says refugees provided with food, shelter

Officials emphasised that the process was voluntary and that all measures were being taken to safeguard the dignity, safety and convenience of Afghan families.

The DC confirmed that around 2,900 individuals had repatriated in the last fortnight. These included women, children, and the elderly. He said that the administration was maintaining proper registration and record of all those returning in order to ensure accuracy and transparency.

At the Angoor Adda border point, a shelter facility under the supervision of the district administration has been made functional with a capacity of 50 beds.

The DC said that returning refugees were being provided with clean drinking water, temporary electricity and food at the shelter to meet their immediate humanitarian needs.

He also said temporary tents had been set up at Agri Park in Wana for Afghan families. “These tents are equipped with essential facilities such as shelter, sanitation and food to assist refugees while they await travel or during their short-term stay,” he said.

The DC said the district administration, in coordination with security forces, was overseeing the process to maintain transparency and peace.

Officials said that arrangements for checking, guidance, and orderly travel had been put in place to prevent confusion or mismanagement.

Several Afghan refugees expressed mixed feelings about their return. Many said they had spent decades in Wana, building livelihoods and social connections. However, they acknowledged that legal requirements compelled them to leave.

“We’d a very good time here in Wana. For 40 years, we ran businesses and lived with residents. Now, we are going back to our homeland undesirably as legal compulsion has forced us to do so,” a refugee said.

The DC said that the district administration would continue to provide humanitarian assistance where the need arose, including medical or emergency support.

He added that lists of returning families were being maintained and that authorities would remain in contact to facilitate subsequent phases of the repatriation process.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025