PESHAWAR, June 11: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has asked all registered Afghan refugees to renew their Proof of Registration (PoR) cards before June 18.

In a press release issued here on Monday, the UN agency urged Afghans to approach the nearest card modification centers established in major cities, including Peshawar, Haripur, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta and Karachi, of the country to renew PoR cards.

The statement termed PoR cards very important identity document, which validated temporary legal stay of registered Afghans in Pakistan till December 2012.

About 1.7 million registered Afghans had obtained these cards issued by National Database Registration Authority (Nadra).

The warning to registered Afghans was issued when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government started a drive against illegal Afghans in Peshawar. Police have been issued order to arrest undocumented Afghans.

The statement said that Afghans must bring their existing PoR cards to the centres. In case of broken or lost card, a photocopy of the card was acceptable for the renewal purpose, provided the data of the applicant existed in the database, it added.

It said that Proof of Registration Card Modification centres were operational from Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

To avoid the last minute rush, registered Afghans with their families should approach the established centres or mobile vans at the earliest, the statement added.

It also said that UNHCR would not process any card renewal after the set deadline.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR had signed a tripartite agreement in 2009 that validated stay of registered refugees till the end of 2012.