ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) urged all registered Afghans who have not yet renewed their Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to approach the nearest registration centre before the end of February deadline.
The process of replacing the old PoR cards with the new secure cards started in September last year and concludes on February 28, says a press release here on Monday.
The PoR cards are an important identity document that proves the temporary legal stay of registered Afghans in Pakistan, and are valid until December 31, 2012.
"The new PoR card is a very important identity document that protects Afghans from arbitrary detention and deportation during their temporary stay in Pakistan.
It is also required for Afghans who want UNHCR's cash assistance to repatriate to Afghanistan and we urge people who don't yet have their new cards to come forward in the next two weeks," said the UNHCR Deputy Representative Khassim Diagne.
In Balochistan 12 new centres have been established in Quetta, Pishin ,Loralai, Saranan, Zhob, Girdi Jungle Muhammad Kheil, Khanozai, Mastung and Chaghi to facilitate the renewal process. The centres are operational from Mondays to Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
To avoid the last minute rush registered Afghans with their families should approached the established centres or Mobile vans at the earliest.
Since September, some 1.3 million new PoR cards have been issued by NADRA at 45 centres across Pakistan. This includes 223,820 cards given to children previously registered on their parents' cards and 85,997 previously unregistered family members of registered families.
In addition, some 278,188 new born babies have been also registered. As part of the same project, almost 600,000 Afghan children under the age of 18 have received their first ever birth certificates.
All registered Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan holding PoR cards issued by NADRA are eligible to receive the new cards. Afghans must bring their existing PoR cards to the registration centres. If the original card is broken or lost, a photocopy of the PoR card will be acceptable for renewal purpose, provided the data of the applicant exists in the database.
The issuance of the new registration cards to Afghans is part of the Pakistan government's broader strategy on the Management of Afghans in Pakistan, endorsed by federal cabinet in March last year.
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