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Group of 63 Afghan refugee families leave Karachi for Afghanistan

April 08, 2004

Karachi, 7 April (UNHCR) - A group of 63 Afghan refugee families of 318 individuals left Karachi on Tuesday to Afghanistan through the process of UNHCR assisted voluntary repatriation from Pakistan. The group, repatriating to Faryab-Afghanistan, was amongst a total of 137 Afghan refugee families with 768 individuals that repatriated from Karachi via Chaman border.

"We had the intention to repatriate last year but we did not have water and shelter in our places of origin in Faryab, province of Afghanistan", said Haji Ali Khan, leader of the returning group.

He said that while they requested UNHCR to assist solve the water and shelter problem, relatives in Afghanistan were continuously urging them to return. "So we decided to go back and asked UNHCR to look into our needs once we reached Afghanistan", said Haji Khan.

Since the beginning of the voluntary repatriation process, in early March this year, more than 4,000 Afghan refugees have returned back from Sind province. The total number returning from Pakistan was around 40,000.

The group returning to Faryab was the first Facilitated Group Return (FGR) from Karachi. Under the FGR process, UNHCR identifies group of families intending to return to the same location in Afghanistan but could not do so because of a problem impeding their return. The problem is relayed to UNHCR Afghanistan for assessment. If solvable, UNHCR Afghanistan initiates work and after completion relays a message so that the refugees can return back.

"Haji Ali Khan approached us earlier saying that his group was ready to repatriate but wanted his concerns to be addressed. Now he has decided that he can't wait longer and would like to repatriate", said Mohammad Musa Khan, Repatriation Assistant, UNHCR Karachi. He said that message has been relayed to UNHCR Afghanistan about the arrival of the group and has asked the office to assist the arriving refugees to address their concerns of drinking water and shelter.

Most members of the returning group have remained in Pakistan for more than 15 years. "We came to Pakistan when life became really tough in Afghanistan", said Shah Wali. He said that the group lived in different parts of Pakistan before coming to Karachi. "We worked as labourers, drivers, street vendors and carpenters in Karachi earning a good living. But now we are going back because Afghanistan is our mother land and have to go back at one stage of life", he viewed.

Haji Ali Khan had a grocery shop in Zia Colony Karachi. Having land in Faryab, he intends to start a new life as a farmer cultivating his land back in Afghanistan. "We have also bought a tractor to start cultivating our land in Afghanistan, which will reach us soon".

Along with the group other Afghan refugees returning included the family of Mohammad Yousif returning to Kabul. Yousif, now 24, had stayed in Pakistan for 12 years and this was his first visit to his country.

"I am excited to return back. I don't know how Kabul looks now but have heard that now a days it's as busy as Karachi", he said.

Mr. K. Kaneko, head of the office UNHCR Karachi, said that the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Karachi was proceeding very well from the UNHCR Departure Centres in Songal and Hub.

While leaving Pakistan Haji Ali Khan and members of the group appreciated Pakistan's hospitality towards the Afghan refugees and hoped that Afghan people will never face the agony of war as they did in last 25 years.

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