ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan has officially closed down ten more Afghan refugee camps, bringing the total denotified refugee villages to 26, official documents revealed on Wednesday.
In its latest move, the SAFRON Ministry has denotified ten Afghan Refugee Camps and their associated clusters in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The move, followed by the Interior Ministry’s repatriation and deportation order, signified a big step in the government’s policy regarding Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.
The camps and cluster camps, which were denotified by the government, were established in D.I. Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Mansehra, Charasadda, and Malakand.
According to the official notification, all lands and non-movable assets within the denotified area/camp boundaries will be handed over to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district by the respective Provincial Commissioner for Afghan Refugees (CAR) with a hand-written overtaking process.
Last month, five refugee camps were closed down in Haripur, Chitral, and Upper Dir districts. Furthermore, ten refugee villages were officially denotified by the SAFRON Ministry at Chaghai, Loralai, KillaSaifullah, Pishin, and Quetta, the document revealed. The only refugee camp in Punjab’s Mianwali district has also been denotified by the authorities.
The notification further directed the provincial governments to ensure the “safety and continued productive use of these non-movable assets by the local communities under their supervision.”
This administrative action occurs alongside the ongoing voluntary repatriation efforts. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has outlined procedures for registered Afghan refugees wishing to return to Afghanistan, emphasising that the decision should be “fully voluntary and based on your informed decision.”
The UNHCR advised refugees to have adequate information about conditions in their intended destination in Afghanistan, including safety, security, and available services, before deciding to return. The organisation also provides a cash grant and other assistance at encashment centers inside Afghanistan to eligible returnees.
The UNHCR has expressed concern over the government’s decision to de-notify refugee villages and forcibly repatriate Afghan citizens with visas as well as Afghan refugees to their homeland.
In August, the government asked Afghan refugees to leave the country as part of its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
As many of the refugees have lived in these villages for decades and established livelihoods, forcing them to return within a short period has a serious and negative impact on their lives and livelihoods, as well as their reintegration in Afghanistan, said the UNHCR in a statement. Officials said that over 30 percent of the registered 1.3 million Afghan refugees have been living in these temporary villages for many years.
“Return of refugees should be organised, phased, voluntary, in dignity and safety, with respect for rights and protection of those in need,” the UNHCR added.
Pakistan has been a generous host to Afghans for over 45 years, protecting millions of people. The statement asserted, “There are still many people in Pakistan who would be at risk of persecution should they be obliged to return to Afghanistan. These individuals need to be exempted from the IFRP,” it added.
The UN Refugee Agency is also concerned about women and girls being forced to return to a country where their rights to work and education are at risk.
The UNHCR urges the Government of Pakistan to apply measures for organised and phased returns and to exempt Afghans with continued international protection needs from involuntary return.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025