PESHAWAR, Nov 13: Most of the Afghan refugees returning to their homeland are suffering from psychological ailments, which they contracted owing to their prolonged stay outside their country, said Azizuddin Himmat, president of the Psychological Association of Afghanistan.

"As most the Afghans have been living on Pakistan's soil over the last 20 years and their houses have been completely demolished due to heavy fighting in that country, and now as they return back to Afghanistan they find their homes in ruins. They become extremely depressed," said Himmat.

According to him, 98 per cent of the repatriating Afghan refugees suffer from a number of psychological problems when they come to know that the houses had been destroyed.

The main problem is lack of health care centres, he said, adding that there was only one 50-bed hospital for the treatment of psychological ailments. And the number of only six psychologists/psychiatrists were available at this hospital where the number of patients were growing every day.

Even the well-off Afghans who were returning from European countries weren't happy when they see the deteriorating situation in their country, he said, adding that lack of health care, education, jobs and other basic facilities are the factors troubling the people.

"The Afghans had pinned hopes on the new government but now they are disappointed, particularly over lack of safety," he said. The young Afghans who had grown up outside the country are faced with an extremely unpleasant situation.