Pakistan has halted the return of Afghan refugees, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Tuesday after meeting with Prime Minister Sharif in the capital, Islamabad.
According to a statement from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Grandi expressed gratitude for the suspension of the “programme of deportations of illegal aliens” and asked for assurances that it would remain suspended in the future.
Grandi wrapped up a three-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, calling for Islamabad’s “proud tradition” of hospitality for Afghans in continuing need of international protection.
Last October, Pakistan announced it would deport Afghan refugees living illegally in the country.
According to Interior Ministry statistics, more than 500,000 Afghan refugees have so far returned to their homeland.
During the consultations, Grandi called for a “timely” extension of registration cards, key identity documents held by more than 1.3 million Afghan refugees, the statement said.
High Commissioner Grandi noted the challenges facing Pakistan and commended the Pakistani Government for its incredible generosity in hosting Afghan refugees for 45 years. He called for an urgent reorientation of the aid model towards solutions and responsibility-sharing, including fostering new partnerships and developing innovative approaches to tackling protracted displacement situations.
“We need to seize this opportunity to accelerate solutions and have a bigger and broader vision for the Afghan people in Pakistan,” he noted.
The High Commissioner offered to bring together key stakeholders – including government representatives, development actors and the private sector – later this year to work towards a dialogue to develop a set of solutions that would benefit both Afghan nationals living in Pakistan and the host country itself.
Grandi also pledged to redouble efforts to create conducive conditions for the return to Afghanistan in terms of material conditions, access to services, employment opportunities and rights, paving the way for sustainable voluntary returns in the future.
“Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to host approximately three million Afghans and all solutions should be considered, including voluntary repatriation as well as resettlement in third countries and long-term solutions within Pakistan,” the statement concluded.
According to the latest UN figures, around 1.3 million Afghans are registered as refugees in Pakistan, with a further 880,000 having legal status to remain there.
Pakistani officials claim that around 700,000 Afghans seeking asylum have flowed into Pakistan since the Taliban came to power in August 2021. But only 75,000 have moved to other countries so far.
News.AZ
