PESHAWAR, March 20: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has suspended the repatriation of Afghans through the Voluntary Repatriation Centre in Takhta Baig, Khyber Agency, owing to security concern in Muharram.

“The operation has temporarily stopped in Takhta Baig,” a UNHCR official confirmed, saying activities would be resumed soon after Muharram.

A joint meeting of the UNHCR and senior officials of the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees discussed the situation here on Wednesday.

The meeting was informed that the government usually beefed up security during Muharram. The UNHCR representative informed the meeting that the agency was only prepared to carry out the operation under maximum security.

A UNHCR press release said that despite suspension of the operation at Takhta Baig the staff would register over 1,000 Afghan families, who were present at the centre, awaiting registration.

An official of the UN refugee agency told Dawn that some 1,656 Afghan families were registered at the centre on Wednesday and the remaining families would be registered on Thursday. He said the UNHCR had deputed additional staff at the registration centre to facilitate the refugees. The agency is also planning to open repatriation centres in the Bajaur Agency, Kurram Agency and at Aza Khel after Muharram, the source said.—Bureau Report