Photo credit: Human rights watch
The Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees (CCAR) has revealed that around 2.9 million refugees from Afghanistan of which 0.7 million were unregistered individuals.
Geo News reports that the official briefed the panel during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (Safron). Under the chairmanship of Senator Jan Muhammed Buledi, the official told the committee about the humanitarian assistance being provided to Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
The Senate body was further informed that $40 million was disbursed to the government of Pakistan for technically supporting the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), passports, capacity building, and awareness programs for Afghan refugees. $10 million has also been allocated to Safron for technical assistance.
The committee has been briefed on the trends in voluntary repatriation, noting that the period from 2002 to 2004 has seen the highest levels of repatriation until now.
It was noted that Afghan refugee students are provided with 14 reserved seats in colleges and universities, along with healthcare services in hospitals.
Furthermore, the Senate body was surprised that three organizations – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) – were collaborating with the CCAR in the fields of technical and social assistance for Afghan refugees.
Representatives from Safron also shared the challenges they face, underscoring the decreasing trajectory supporting funds from international organizations, which they view as a significant barrier. They also apprised that the current state policy is focused on the smooth repatriation of refugees.
It was also revealed that the development projects under the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) Program were halted in 2024 due to a lack of funding.
With the panel discussing refugee challenges, support, and repatriation efforts, Senators Saadia Abbasi and Syed Masroor Ahsan stressed the need for mobilizing international support in funding projects for Afghan refugees and proper utilization of funds
