——– Over 16,000 Afghan refugees repatriated in the past two weeks, bringing the total to 637,427
From John Nelson
KABUL: The repatriation of Afghan refugees illegally residing in Pakistan is under way, with 16,446 individuals returning to their homes during the past two weeks. This brings the total number of repatriated Afghans to 637,427, according to Radio Pakistan
Over 2.5 million Afghan refugees have been living in Pakistan, with a similar number in Iran.
The Afghan interim government has been urging its citizens abroad to return home and contribute to rebuilding their war-ravaged country.
In recent developments, Pakistan’s federal cabinet extended the validity period of the ‘Proof of Registration (POR) cards’ issued to Afghan refugees for three months.
The repatriation programme is being executed in phases, with the first phase currently ongoing.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data indicates that approximately 2.18 million documented Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan.
The repatriation initiative aligns with international and Pakistani laws, emphasizing the necessity of legal documentation and compliance with immigration regulations.
