Balochistan Point Voice of Nation
Quetta – Conflicting news reports are emerging about an agreement signed between Pakistan and Afghan governments to extend the stay of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for two years.
Pakistan hosts 1.5 million Afghan refugees and their legal period of stay is set to expire in December this year.
A tripartite meeting took place between officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the issue of stay of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
In the meeting Afghan government has requested Pakistan to extend the period of stay of Afghan refugees till December 2017.
According to report of Express Tribune, Pakistan government will discuss the request of Afghan government in Cabinet and then make a final decision.
However, BBC Urdu and Afghan media is reporting that Pakistan government has agreed to extend the period of stay of Afghan Refugees.
“If it’s true then its disappointing news for Balochistan,” Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini told Balochistan Point.
“We demand that all Afghan Refugees should be respectably sent back to their homeland as soon as possible and CNICs of Afghan refugees in Balochistan should be cancelled,” added Senator Jamaldini.
It was also decided in the tripartite meeting that all unregistered Afghan Refugees in Pakistan would be registered with the help of Afghan government.
No official statement has been issued by government of Pakistan on this matter.
Staff report
Published in The Balochistan Point on August 23, 2015
