During the second visit of the Beyond Boundaries’ Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) in Islamabad, as part of the strategic sideline meetings with government and non-government stakeholders, the PAJC members from Afghanistan and Pakistan also met with the Deputy Head of Mission, Afghan Embassy, Mr. Shams Zardasht, at Serena Hotel, on 26 February, 2018.
Speaking on the status of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, he stated that there are two categories of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, one being the PR card holders. Pakistan is currently working on a flexible visa regime for them. He also stated that there are about 800,000 plus registered Afghans apart from the UNHCR figures.
He stated that the Ministry of Refugees in Afghanistan had extended an invitation to Pakistan’s SAFRON Minister Mr. Baloch to visit Kabul where the complications regarding the visa regime as well as other related matters of the refugees could be discussed. On repatriation figures, he said in 2016, about 607,000 returned to Afghanistan, while in 2017 about 159,000-160,000 returned.
He stated that based on the Afghan Ambassador’s proposal, there should be a land given to the returning Afghans and this proposal is being reviewed by the President Ghani himself. He stated that the Afghan Government will reach out to refugees in Punjab and other areas itself for their repatriation. Naturally, those refugees who have businesses and investments in Pakistan would be reluctant to return to Afghanistan and leave everything behind, he said.
He also stated that on the issue of Afghan refugees, the two governments have a consensus. The Afghan Government is currently working on creating pull factors within its available resources. This, he said, would take time but, nevertheless, remains a priority of the Afghan administration. He also stated that 70% of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan live in urban areas.
