UNHCR Pakistan

Karachi, 04, August (UNHCR) - The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has assisted more than 31,000, Afghan refugees to Afghanistan from Sindh after the resumption of the voluntary repatriation programme from the province on March 2004. The total number of Afghan refugees repatriated voluntarily from Pakistan reached 242,233 on Tuesday.

The total number of Afghan refugees repatriated voluntarily from Sindh crossed 30,000 mark on Tuesday, 3 August when a total of 138 families comprising of 737 individuals left Karachi for Afghanistan.

"I am returning back with the hope to get a job back in the Oil exploration company in Shibbarghan where I previously worked for 18 years during the reign of King Zahir Shah, president Sardar Dawood and Tarakai. I had to leave after the Soviet pullout when the civil war started and I was not paid salary for six months. Therefore I took the decision to become a refugee due to hunger", said Essa Khan an Afghan repatriating to Kunduz. In Karachi, Khan worked for 13 years in a garment factory. "Cost of living is higher here in Karachi, so I have decided to return and I pray for the best", he said.

Saeed Ahmad 32, was returning to Kandahar, was just 7 years of age when he came to Pakistan. "I worked in a garment factory here in Karachi and now I can stitch any type of dress with precision.

UNHCR staff processing an Afghan refugee at the Departure Center Hub River Road Karachi© UNHCR/B.Baloch

I am returning to the land of my parents. Although I don't have any property there, but I believe in the providence of Almighty that I will earn a decent livelihood with the skill I learnt here".

Kazuhiro Kaneko, the Head of UNHCR Karachi, said that UNHCR expects about 50,000 Afghans to return from Karachi this year by the time repatriation slows with the onset of winter in November.

"While the security situation inside Afghanistan remains mixed, with some areas still suffering violence, those asking for UNHCR assistance to return have mentioned increasing economic opportunities", Kaneko said.

Mr. Kaneko added that for the sake of convenience of Afghan refugees in Karachi, UNHCR has set up a new pre-scheduling centre at Banaras, surrounded by Afghan refugee populated areas in the district west of Karachi.

"There are three more pre-scheduling centres in different parts of Karachi from where they are pre-scheduled and are assigned a date to report to the Departure centre located at Songal and Hub River road with their belongings and families to leave for their country. UNHCR mobile teams are also facilitating refugees who live far away from pre-registration centres. The teams go to their settlements and give them pre-registration cards", he said.

All returning Afghans from Karachi, above the age of six, have to stop at Hayatabad Peshawar and Baleli Quetta's to undergo an Iris verification test to be eligible for the UNHCR assistance package provided inside Afghanistan. The assistance package includes $3 to $30 as travel assistance depending on the distance to their home, Plus $8 in cash instead of additional assistance such as food that was provided in the first two years of the programme.

During 2004 the return rate from Karachi was higher than last year. In 2003, the total number of families repatriated from Karachi and interior Sindh were 7,650 families comprising 35,409 individuals. UNHCR Karachi has already crossed 30,000 individuals mark. It is expected that the return will increase after the presidential elections to be held on 9 October this year.

UNHCR assisted 1.5 million Afghans in 2002 and 340,000 in 2003 to return home.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers who visited Pakistan in March this year said that UNHCR expected figure of 400,000 returns from Pakistan during 2004 might need an adjustment to 500,000, if the present rate of return was maintained from the country.

The voluntary repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan runs under a Tripartite Agreement involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR that ends in March 2006.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan

UNHCR facilitates 30,000 Afghan refugees to return from Sindh