National News

ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT+APP): Over 380,045 registered Afghan
refugees have been repatriated to Afghanistan through Voluntarily
Repatriation Centers (VRC) of United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) from January 1 to November 16, 2016.
Spokesperson of UNHCR Muhammad Asif told APP here Thursday,
he said that some 306,962 Afghan refugees repatriated from Khyber
Pukhtunkhaw, 28,136 from Balochistan, 2,690 from Sindh, 36,325 from
Punjab, 5,457 from Islamabad and 475 from Azad Kashmir.
He said that cash grant from US$ 200 to 400 per person has
been increased by UNHCR, all refugees are receiving this amount from
the Afghanistan border at encashment centre.
The UNHCR facilitates the voluntary return of registered
Afghan refugees from Pakistan under its facilitated voluntary
repatriation programme which is ongoing since 2002.
From its start until this date more than 3.9 million Afghan
refugees have return from Pakistan, he added.
He said that UNHCR does not have any documented proof or
record of how many undocumented Afghans have returned from Pakistan
or cross the border on daily basis as border is so porous with many
illegal and unofficial crossing points.
UNHCR’s mandate in Pakistan only covers registered Afghan
refugees, with valid Proof of Registration (PoR) cards who
stay/reside within the boundaries of the country of asylum.
The Proof of Registration card, issued by the Government of
Pakistan to registered Afghan refugees is an important protection
document, which entitles its holder to stay in Pakistan until
December 31, 2016 and it ensures that the refugees have freedom of
movement within Pakistan.
PoR card is not an international travel document and thus
cannot be used as a visa/passport to cross international border
between two countries.