Quaid-e-Azam University Road, Diplomatic Enclave 2, G-4Islamabad, Pakistan P.O.Box # 1263
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Eid holidays notice for Afghan refugees voluntarily repatriating from Pakistan

October 31, 2005

The voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-facilitated operation will be temporarily suspended in Pakistan due to the Eid holidays.

Afghan refugees seeking UNHCR assistance to return to Afghanistan should not approach UNHCR registration on these mentioned days.

UNHCR registration and departure centers in Islamabad, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Karachi will be closed from Thursday, 03 November to Sunday, 06 November 2005. These include Islamabad Registration Center at I-11/2 in Islamabad: Attock Voluntary Repatriation Center (VRC), Tarnol Voluntary Repatriation Center, Hayatabad Iris Validation Center and departure center in Peshawar and the Karachi pre-registration centers.

In Balochistan, the UNHCR Registration Centres in Khilji Colony Sabzal Road, Ghousabad Statellite Town, Quetta UNHCR Iris Validation Center at Baleli will remain closed from Thursday, 03 November to Sunday, 06 November 2005.

CARITAS in Lahore will also not process Afghan refugees for voluntary repatriation during these dates.

Afghan refugees in Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP can approach UNHCR for voluntary repatriation on Monday, 07 November 2005.

CDA says there are some 10 medical camps run by the government in and around Islamabad for people evacuated to the capital's hospitals from quake-hit areas. UNHCR has so far provided relief supplies, and stands ready to provide technical support if needed.

Most of the UN refugee agency's relief efforts are concentrated in the country's north. As head of the camp management cluster, UNHCR is involved in the set-up and coordination of 12 camps in Balakot, Batagram and Muzaffarabad, hosting nearly 10,000 earthquake survivors in all.