Speakers Call For Safe And Respectful Repatriation Of Afghan Refugees

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Nov, 2016 ) : Speakers here on Monday called for voluntarily, safe and respectful repatriation of Afghan refugees and recommended to extend the date of repatriation till December 31, 2017.

They were speaking at the all parliamenty leadership conference on "Repatriation and Management Policy for Afghan Refugees" which was organized by Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON).

The meeting was attended by Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhaw, Zafar Iqbal Jhargra, Chief Minister of KPK Pervaiz Khattak, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sherpao, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Siraj ul Haq, Hasil Bazinjo, Farhat Ullah Babar, Ajmal Khattak, Minister of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt.

General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Chief Commissioners of Afghan refugees and officials of the Ministry. They said that Federal Government should provide the visa facility to the Afghan refugees like traders, businessmen, skilled and un-skilled labour, doctor and engineers.

The Speakers hailed that role of Afghan ambassador for early repatriation of Afghan refugees and holding regular meeting with elders of refugees to convince them to go back their homeland and play a vital role for developing of Afghanistan.

They said that Afghanistan was also taking various step for the rehabilitation and resettlement of refugees and providing land for agriculture purposes. Federal Minister of SAFRON Lt. General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch said that 1.3 million registered refugees having Proof of Registration Cards (PoR) and un-registered 0.6 million, while 33% living in camps and 67% living off- camps 74% refugees children born in Pakistan and 70% under age of 24 years.

The Minister briefed that 58 % Afghan refugees livening in KPK, 22% in Balochistan, 12% in Punjab, 5% in Sindh, 1% in Islamabad and Azad Jammu Kashmir respectively.

Qadir Baloch said that around 0.4 million registered and 0.2 miilion un-registered refugee repatriated from January 1, 2016 to November 10 2016 while the repatriation process would be close from December 1 due to the winter weather.

Chief Minister of KPK Pervaiz Khattak said that according to the Afghan government law, no-one Pakistani get the service or do the business in Afghanistan and partnership in business. He informed the political leaders that after the large number of Afghans refugees repatriation this year, the rent of house decreases, the rate of property had come down now and local labour force getting handsome amount on daily basis.

He said that due to the refugees, hospital and schools of KPK were over burden and suggested that All Afghans should come to Pakistan through visa. Pervaiz Khattak urged the federal Government that all the blocked CNIC card should be open as soon as possible because people were facing problems adding NADRA should complete it verification soon.

Jamat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that Federal Government should make the business visa policy and give the protection to all Afghan refugee businessmen. Quaid Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI_F) Fazal-ul-Rehman emphasized the need of voluntarily, peaceful and respectful repatriation of Afghan refugees adding that government should give the protection to all the refugee students till the completion of their education.

Governor KPK Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said that all the recommendation would be send to the all parliamentary parties for final oversight. He said that federal Government with the cooperation of KPK Government taking various step to facilitate the refugees for their voluntarily repatriation.