PESHAWAR, June 7: A six-member delegation of the Afghan ministry of refugees and repatriation visited the Shamshato refugee camp near Peshawar on Monday, officials said. The delegation, headed by director of the concerned ministry at Nangarhar province Maulavi Shamsullah Khan Usman, briefed the Shamshato camp elders about reconstruction work in Afghanistan and assistance being provided to the returnees at their homeland.

The delegation urged the refugees to take advantage of the UN sponsored repatriation programme and take part in the reconstruction of their country. They said that security situation in Afghanistan had improved and the central government would provide necessary support to the displaced people.

However, the Shamshato camp's elders informed the delegation about their apprehension of nonavailability of shelter and agriculture land in their native areas. They said that the Afghan government should help the returnees to build their houses and provide food security and assistance to rehabilitate their agriculture land.

The delegation, which arrived here on Sunday would visit refugee camps in Fata including Kurram and Bajaur to share information with the camps' inhabitants. The Afghan government sent the delegation to encourage the refugee to return to their country.