Government of Pakistan in collaboration with UN agency for refugees is working on issuance of work permits to Afghan refugees to give legal status to business activities and bring them into the tax net like Pakistani citizens. This was stated by Federal Minister for SAFRON, Shaukatullah Khan while addressing a 'jirga' of Afghan refugees here at the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees in Hayatabad on Monday.
The federal minister said that initially, such work permits would be issued to 150,000 to 200,000 Afghan refugees on test basis. He dispelled impression of forced repatriation saying Pakistan has always extended hospitality and respect to the refugees and none of them would be repatriated forcefully. He informed that due to increase in the population of Afghan refugees, government is also considering increase in education scholarships for children of refugees.
Regarding growing complaints of harassment by police, Shaukatullah said that a complaint cell is also being established at Afghan Commmissionerate, where refugees would be allowed to register all problems including complaints against police. Security Officer of the commissionerate, Yunas Khan will monitor working of the cell, he added. He assured Afghan refugees that the amount paid to the voluntarily repatriating refugees would be taken up with the UN agency.
Regarding difficulties of refugees in going on Hajj and Umrah, the federal minister said government is alive to the matter and taking measures for its redressal. He said that the matter would be taken with both the ministries of interior and foreign affairs and a special committee would also be constituted in this regard. He disclosed that very soon he will visit to Afghanistan where he will take up the problems being faced by the repatriating refugees. He also said that besides increase in the number of visas for Afghan refugees, measures would also be taken for accelerating its process.
Earlier, addressing Afghan jirga, representatives of refugees including Haji Dost Mohammad, Hayatullah, Syed Hashmi, Dr Abdul Hameed Jalili and others said that Pakistan is their second home, and they had received respect from the elders, mothers, sisters and children of Pakistan. They said that Pakistanis has been extending hospitality to them for a long period of 32 years and requested not harass them through police. They also demanded taking notice of treatment of police with the refugees and called for treatment with honour and dignity.
The Afghan elders said that Pakistan has extended them all kind of facilities for 32 years and now they should not force repatriation, adding that Afghanistan is lacking peace. They said that they are praying for establishment of durable peace in Afghanistan, as after establishment of peace they will leave for their own country. The elders demanded granting of scholarships for all intermediate pass Afghan students and restoration of Azakhel Refugee Camp.
Those present on the occasion included Joint Secretary SAFRON, Dr Imran, Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Dr Fida Wazir, Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Syed Jamaluddin Shah, and Additional Commissioner Afghan Commissionerate, Waqar Maroof.
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