Policy for voluntary return of Afghan Refugees to be finalized by August

10 Apr, 2015

ISLAMABAD: The Governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) will finalize a policy by August for voluntary return of Afghan Refugees.

The envisaging voluntary returns would be based on the absorption capacity of Afghanistan and the realities on the ground, in a mutually agreed phased manner, official sources told APP Friday.

They informed that officials of both the governments and UNHCR are intensely engage in consultation to devise a comprehensive plan with realistic time lines for the way forward and voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

The extension of the Tripartite Agreement and the validity of the Proof of Identification (POR) cards would also form an integral part of this policy to avoid uncertainty towards the end of the year, they stated.

They said no refugee has approached the Ministry of SAFRON/Chief Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CCAR) with a request for permanent residence in Pakistan so far.

The Tripartite Agreement on voluntary repatriation signed between Government of Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR regulates the repatriation of registered Afghan refugees, they further adding said, this is a forum where negotiations are being carried out for repatriation of Afghan refugees.

The Commission members of both the Governments exchange the information regarding repatriation, rehabilitation and absorption capacity inside Afghanistan.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2015

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