UNHCR to temporarily halt repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has decided to suspend the repatriation process of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for around three months because of cold weather.

According to a spokesperson of the UNHCR, the repatriation process will be halted from December 1 till February 28 next year due to drop in temperature and severe cold.

He said all UNHCR centers in Pakistan and Afghanistan would remain closed during the winter.

Registered Afghan refugees would not be given financial compensation in case of return during the period.

The operation will resume from March next year.

Read More: Pakistan, Afghanistan discuss refugees’ repatriation

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday held a second meeting of the Refugee Working Group (RWG) under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in Islamabad.

Both the sides discussed matters related to Afghan refugees and other categories of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan. They deliberated on ways to enhance mutual cooperation for a dignified, gradual, time-bound and complete return of the Afghan nationals to their country.

During the meeting, the two sides also exchanged and agreed on a set of rules and procedure for the meetings of the working group. The next meeting of the APAPPS Working Group on Refugees will be held in Kabul in January, 2019.