Pakistan- Afghan consul general says all refugees will have to return

PESHAWAR: Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Professor Moeen Marastial has said there is no truth in news that Afghan refugees will be sent back by 31 January.

Moeen Marastial said while talking to TNN that no consultation has been made with Afghanistan for repatriation of the refugees and no deadline has been given as such. Therefore, he said, the Afghan refugees living in Pakistan should not worry about it. He said the issue will be resolved amicably if and when Pakistan asks the refugees to leave the country.

The consul general said the refugees will have to leave Pakistan one day. However, he said, it will be very difficult to send two million refugees at once. He said the Afghan government will be unable to handle such a large number of refugees. Therefore, he said, the refugees should go back to Afghanistan in phases. He said Pakistan hosted the Afghan refugees for several years and it is hoped that Pakistan will not take any step now to spoil that spirit of hospitality.

'My Afghan brothers should not be worried about the deadline, but they should keep in mind that one day they will have to go back and they cannot permanently reside in Pakistan. However, it requires a proper planning by Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UN refugee agency,' Mr Marastial told TNN.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has told Afghan officials that no Afghan national will be allowed to enter Pakistan via Torkham gate without a computerised passport. The political administration of Khyber Agency and Khyber Rifles have also displayed banners in this regard at various points in Khyber Agency.

MENAFN1301201801890000ID1096345715