ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch yesterday made it clear that Afghan refugees will have to leave Pakistan “come what may”.
“Pakistan cannot host Afghan refugees for further period,” the federal minister said. Qadir Baloch said the Afghan refugees have occupied over one million jobs in Pakistan, thus creating financial problems for the locals.
“It is difficult for the locals in various cities to find jobs as over one million Afghan refugees are working in Pakistan,” the minister added.
The country’s economy is unable to bear the burden of over two million refugees and “they (refugees) are left with no other option but to leave Pakistan,” said Baloch. The minister alleged that Afghanistan didn’t fulfil its promise regarding repatriation of refugees. Qadir Baloch termed the apprehensions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government regarding Afghan Refugees as genuine.
“The KP government is right in saying that Afghan refugees are hurting the economy and culture of the province besides their involvement in crimes,” the minister added.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday granted an extension in the stay of registered Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan for a further period of six months — till December 31, 2016.
“Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of States & Frontier Regions shall immediately engage with UNHCR and Government of Afghanistan for gradual relocation of refugee camps in Pakistan to Afghanistan,” spokesperson for the prime minister said.
The prime minister issued the directive after seeing the ‘Repatriation and Management Policy for Afghan Refugees’, said the PM Office media.
But now, following the approval by the prime minster, the registered Afghan refugees can legally stay in Pakistan till December 31, 2016.
The PM’s spokesperson further said that in order to facilitate relocation and as a gesture of continued goodwill, Pakistan shall commit provision of free of cost wheat for the relocated camps in Afghanistan for a period of three years.