Pakistani government plans to shut down 16 Afghan refugee camps
The Pakistani government has decided to shut down at least 16 Afghan refugee camps in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, a move expected to hit 90,000 refugees.
The federal government last month informed the provinces that the formal repatriation and deportation of over 1.3 million Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will begin on September 1, Dawn News reported.
The decision was announced amid Pakistan's interior ministry’s announcement on July 31 that PoR cardholders became unlawful residents after their cards expired on June 30.
They were the last category of Afghans legally residing in Pakistan without visas.
Haji Abdul Samad, who is representative of a main camp in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told Dawn.com this week that local officials have told him to vacate the camp in accordance with the government’s policy.
He said there has been no raid, arrest or pressure on refugees to leave the Panian camp.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
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