LOWER DIR: With the voluntary repatriation of Afghan families gaining pace, the Lower Dir administration on Friday initiated a formal process to take over public assets, land records and infrastructure located inside Afghan refugee camps across the district.

Chairing a high-level meeting, the deputy commissioner, Mohammad Arif Khan, said the district had entered a “critical transition stage” as more refugee families were choosing to leave, necessitating an organised handover of facilities to the relevant departments.

The district administrator for Afghan refugees, Humayun Khan, briefed the forum that 212 families comprising 1,170 individuals had returned to Afghanistan in recent days, adding that the number was expected to increase.

Officials were directed to immediately assume control of health centres, schools, water supply schemes, streetlights, electricity transformers and other public assets and to submit certified reports of the takeover.

Assets takeover process inside refugee camps initiated

The deputy commissioner also tasked assistant commissioners of Timergara, Samarbagh and Adenzai to verify land demarcations of all refugee camps so that government and private ownership could be clearly established in official records.

He further ordered submission of daily repatriation reports and said sworn statements would be obtained from truck drivers transporting families to Landi Kotal, ensuring safe passage up to district Khyber.

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE

The deputy commissioner Lower Dir, Mohammad Arif, Khan on Friday chaired an important meeting to review preparations for the anti-polio campaign scheduled to begin on December 15 across the district.

The meeting was attended by additional deputy commissioner (general), assistant commissioners, district health officer, staff officer Dr Ehsan, EPI coordinator Dr Wali Khan, WHO representative Dr Asfandyar and other stakeholders.

Officials reviewed the security plan, staff training, micro-plan updates, field coverage of teams and logistic arrangements. The health department informed the forum that all preparations for the drive had been completed. The four-day vaccination drive will run from December 15 to 18.

The deputy commissioner also appealed to parents and community elders to ensure that polio drops were administered to their children.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2025