Over 1800 Afghan refugees imparted training countrywide

ISLAMABAD: National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) under its training program, has imparted technical and vocational skills to more than 1800 Afghan refugees across the country.

The Afghan refugees have been imparted six months free of cost technical courses in as many as 24 most demanded trades, said an official of the NAVTTC while talking to a state-run wire service on Wednesday.

He further said that the training to Afghan refugees settled in various regions of the country with the help of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refuge Agency.

He said that this move not only has increased confidence in the Afghan refugees of Pakistan, but also now they are able to earn a respectful livelihood with the help of their skills.

He also said that special courses were devised to strengthen women under this program, which would help them become economically stable.

The official also expressed satisfaction that Afghan trainers were now able to secure honorable jobs if they return to their country.

In August this year, the Foreign Office had said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were engaged in developing a time bound repatriation plan for early and complete return of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal had said an Afghan delegation would also be visiting Islamabad for consultations in this regard.

The spokesman said Pakistan has always supported an Afghan-led peace process and it will welcome any ceasefire agreement between the parties there.

According to UN refugee officials, Pakistan and Iran together host some 2.5 million Afghan refugees, but only 12,000 returned home so far this year against 40,000-50,000 at this time in 2017, according to his agency.