PESHAWAR: With the deadline for the withdrawal of refugee status of Afghans in Pakistan ending on June 30, officials believe the government will have little choice other than extending the stay of more than 1.6 million Afghans — at least for now.
Officials said yesterday that registered refugees would lose their status and become illegal if they did not another extension.
The previous government had given registered refugees six-month extension in January on a request from Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the international community that has done next to nothing to feed and shelter them.
Ziaur Rehman, Commissioner Afghan Refugees, said over 1.6 million undocumented Afghans were living in Pakistan and the number would double if the government withdrew the refugee status of registered Afghans.
Officials said that the Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Qadir Baloch, was briefed on the issue and he would take up the matter with the cabinet. Pakistan has 1.6 million registered Afghans, one million of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The UN High Commissioner for Refugee has opposed forced return of the refugees. Internews
