The federal government has decided to repatriate registered Afghan refugees living in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
According to a notification letter issued by the Prime Minister’s House, the refugees will be relocated by March 31.
The decision is part of a phased repatriation plan, which will initially focus on refugees living in the twin cities. The government has assured that Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders will not be forcibly evicted.
Approximately 2 million Afghan refugees, including 1.3 million PoR cardholders and 700,000 Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) holders, are currently residing in Pakistan.
The government has granted PoR cardholders permission to stay in the country until June.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with international organizations and foreign embassies to facilitate the repatriation process.
Earlier, seven former Afghan personnel were arrested in Balochistan’s Qilla Abdullah district over their alleged involvement in terror activities.
