The government would decide fate of Afghan Refugees residing in Pakistan in term of their repatriation to their home country before June 30, the deadline announced earlier for their legal stay in the country. Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch here on Monday told APP that the matter is under consideration and has been referred to Prime Minister Secretariat for taking a decision in this regard.
He further informed that he would leave for Kabul soon to meet Afghan Minister for Refugees to find out a long lasting solution of the issue. The minister said that according to their agreement with Afghan government, they would not force Afghan refugees to leave the country, adding, after volunteer repatriation of refugees started in 2002 million of people went back.
The repatriation of refugees depends on the circumstances in Afghanistan and the decision for extending date will be taken considering all the situations and possibilities, he informed. Earlier a representative of United Nations Refugees Agency (UNHCR), said now 1.6 million registered and around one million unregistered Afghan refugees are taking shelter in Pakistan. She informed that in December 2012 the government has extended their proof of registration cards till June 30 but it is not possible to resettle all of them till this date. She said a real time frame of at least two to three years is need of the hour for establishing a long lasting resettlement plan agreeable to all groups settled in Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries.