Wednesday, July 30, 2025
3:38 AM
Doha,Qatar
*

Pakisan gives more time to refugees from Afghanistan

Pakistan yesterday extended the deadline for the return of registered Afghan refugees by another three months amidst concerns about the initial December 31 cut-off date for voluntary repatriation.
The decision was taken in a meeting of cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.
The cabinet approved an extension of the deadline until March 31, 2017.
“Afghans are our brothers and very dear to us. Adequate and concrete steps will be ensured for the facilitation of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan,” Sharif said in the meeting.
About 1.5mn registered and an equal number of unregistered refugees are living in Pakistan.
Pakistan has been co-ordinating with the UN refugee agency UNHCR, according to officials.
The pace of the return has picked up in recent months as more than 100,000 refugees have been repatriated since July under UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation programme, according to UNHCR spokesman Qaisar Khan Afridi.
The spike in the numbers of refugees returning to Afghanistan is straining UN resources.
Stephen O’Brien, the head of the UN humanitarian branch OCHA, issued a flash appeal in Kabul on Wednesday for more money to deal with the needs of about 620,000 refugees expected to return from 
Pakistan by end of the year. 
Pakistan extended a previous deadline ending on June 31 for six months before it expired.
The refugees first came to Pakistan in 1980 during the Afghan war.


Comments
  • There are no comments.

Add Comments

B1Details

Latest News

SPORT

Canada's youngsters set stage for new era

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.

1:43 PM February 26 2017
TECHNOLOGY

A payment plan for universal education

Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education

11:46 AM December 14 2016
CULTURE

10-man Lekhwiya leave it late to draw Rayyan 2-2

Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions

7:10 AM November 26 2016
ARABIA

Yemeni minister hopes 48-hour truce will be maintained

The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged

10:30 AM November 27 2016
ARABIA

QM initiative aims to educate society on arts and heritage

Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.

10:55 PM November 27 2016
ARABIA

Qatar, Indonesia to boost judicial ties

The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.

10:30 AM November 28 2016
ECONOMY

Sri Lanka eyes Qatar LNG to fuel power plants in ‘clean energy shift’

Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.

10:25 AM November 12 2016
B2Details
C7Details