UNHCR Pakistan

On 3 December, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees hosted the third meeting of the Tripartite Commission on voluntary returns of Afghans from Pakistan, composed of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan and the UN refugee agency.

The one-day session in Dubai was the third gathering of the Commission, created in March 2003 on the signing of an agreement between the same parties governing the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. It comes as returns from Pakistan are suspended following the 16 November killing of a UNHCR field worker in Ghazni, southwest of Kabul. Some 340,000 Afghans had been helped to return home this year from Pakistan before the halt, bringing the two-year total to 1.85 million individuals.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Filippo Grandi and Mr. Philip Karani, UNHCR's heads of office in Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively. Deputy Minister of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) Mr. Mohammad Naeem Ghiaci headed the Afghan delegation, while the Government of Pakistan delegation was led by Secretary Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Northern Areas, States and Frontier Regions (KANA and SAFRON) Mr. Pervaiz Saleem.

The parties stressed that security in Afghanistan is an absolute requirement for the resumption and successful continuation of repatriation, and agreed that attacks on Government officials and aid workers jeopardize refugee return and reintegration. It was acknowledged that while law and order inside Afghanistan is the function of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, security along shared borders is a regional responsibility. The three delegations agreed, as Government and UN representatives mandated to manage the return, to relay a message to respective competent authorities that they are unable to operate without improved security. UNHCR will review
the situation on a continual basis and reopen assistance facilities for returnees as soon as conditions permit. To this end, the three delegations acknowledged the importance of linking up with the Tripartite Commission on border security - comprising the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States of America - to learn about concrete efforts being made.

Ministry SAFRON proposed, and UNHCR agreed, to organize a briefing chaired by the NWFP Home Secretary on border security measures pursued by the Pakistani government.

The parties reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that refugees are registered and able to vote, while still in Pakistan, in the upcoming Afghan national elections. The Afghan Government and UNHCR pledged to petition the Joint Electoral Management Body, the office charged with overseeing voter registration, to include Afghans in states other than Afghanistan. The Pakistan Government reiterated its willingness to facilitate the process on its territory, as required by the recent Presidential Decree on the registration of voters, dated 11 November 2003.

The Commission reviewed the issue of Afghans detained in Pakistani prisons and was pleased with information that the number of Afghans held under the Foreigners' Act has declined over the past three months through interventions by SAFRON. Pakistan stated that it will continue to arrest Afghan nationals who are judged to pose a threat to national security and offered to cooperate with the Government of Afghanistan on the matter.

The Commission also discussed a number of practical issues which would help Afghan refugees return from Pakistan. It agreed to strengthen existing facilities tasked with resolving legal disputes which would otherwise impede repatriation. MoRR announced positive developments with regard to customs and travel permits.

All parties stressed the need for greater international financial support to Afghan recovery, particularly in areas of high and potential refugee return. However, like repatriation, development programs are dependant on improved security conditions in several parts of the country. Ministry SAFRON confirmed its offer of development assistance earmarked to areas of high potential return within Afghanistan.

As decided at the Commission's August meeting in Kabul, refugee camps marked for consolidation in Northwest Frontier Province and Balochistan will be closed in March 2004, and the resident populations will have the option of relocating to a selected site or repatriating voluntarily.

Ministry SAFRON, with assistance from the National Census and Population Commission, is in the process of developing a plan of action for the census of Afghans in Pakistan, and invited UNHCR and MoRR to provide technical advice. SAFRON has also indicated its wish to obtain UNHCR funding for the exercise. The Tripartite Commission therefore decided to create a technical working group, based in Islamabad and comprising representatives from UNHCR, MoRR and Ministry SAFRON, to develop a comprehensive strategy.

The Commission heard a UNHCR presentation on medium- and long-term perspectives for Afghan displacement in the region. In January 2004, UNHCR will share results of a comprehensive survey of obstacles to repatriation, which will lead to greater understanding of complexities faced by Afghans - both those who have returned and those who will consider repatriation in the near future.

The Tripartite Commission will next convene in Islamabad in early March under the Chairmanship of the Government of Pakistan.


United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan