PESHAWAR: Acting Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Waqar Maroof Thursday said that a comprehensive policy was being mulled for the registration of unregistered Afghans refugees and is likely to be formulated in couple of months.
He said this at a day-long sensitization workshop on protection of Afghan refugees organized by Commissionerate for Afghans Refugees (CAR) with collaboration with UNCHR here at local hotel.
Waqar disclosed that Ministry of SAFRON, Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees Islamabad and NADRA are jointly working on the formulation of a vibrant policy, containing modalities for the registration of unregistered Afghans in Pakistan and the policy is likely to be on ground in four months time.
He further told the participants of the meeting that Afghan refugees can stay in Pakistan up to December 31, 2015 as per the agreement reached at the 25th Tripartite Commission meeting held at Islamabad in March 2015 among the Government of Pakistan, UNHCR and Afghanistan. The Ministry of SAFRON has sent a draft proposal to the Ministries of Interior and Finance for seeking funds and once the funds were approved, the modalities of registration of the unregistered Afghan nationals would be put on place accordingly.
The parties to the said meeting had agreed to the intensified efforts in order to create an enabling environment for voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of returnees in Afghanistan, the Commissioner added.
Addressing the meeting, UNHCR Peshawar head Jacque Fraquin said the international organizations would abide by the agreements made with Government of Pakistan regarding repatriation of afghan refugees.
He said the parties are committed to undertake a joint fund raising initiatives led by Afghanistan, UNCHR and Govt of Pakistan to ensure resource mobalization for the implementation of enhanced voluntary return and reintegration package.
Secretary Establishment Fata, Syed Zaheer ul Islam Abbasi has assured that the Government of Pakistan and Khyber Pakthunkhwa would not unnecessarily harassed the refugees, adding the Federal and Provincial Government are in consonance with the international bodies for safe and dignified return of the refugees.
At the same time, however, he maintained that one day the afghan refugees have to go to their homeland and play role in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their motherland.
He declared in clear terms that unregistered afghan refugees must registered themselves in order to avoid unnecessary disturbances at the hands of the law enforcement agencies.
He said illegal Afghans immigrants must legalize their stay in Pakistan to avoid botheration and legal problems. He suggested regulation of movement at Pak-Afghan border and promotion of investment in Western border areas to improvement the living standard of people.
Later, souvenirs and shields were distributed among UNCHR Peshawar head Jacque Fraquin, Senior Program Office UNCHR Peshawar Gowndline, Program Manager Shandana Saad, Additional Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Waqar Maruf, Political Agent Khyber Agency Shahab Ali Shah and Secretary Administration Fata, Syed Zaheerul Islam.
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