KABUL (Pajhwok): The Pakistani government has announced closing five Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhunkhwa province after four decades, a media report said on Saturday.
The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) issued an official notification on Friday confirming the decision, the Express News reported.
According to the government’s notification, three of the closed camps were located in Haripur, one in Chitral and one in Upper Dir. Orders have been issued to transfer the land to the provincial government and the respective deputy commissioners.
Sources revealed that the Panyan camp in Haripur, one of the largest and oldest Afghan settlements in Pakistan, had been home to over 100,000 refugees for nearly 40 years.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has publicly opposed the move, warning against the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees.
He stressed that any such measures should consider humanitarian concerns and the historical ties between the people of KP and Afghan citizens.
Support Dawat Media Center
If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. Support the Dawat Media Center from as little as $/€10 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you
DNB Bank AC # 0530 2294668
Account for international payments: NO15 0530 2294 668
Vipps: #557320
France — Penguin colonies across Antarctica are beginning their breeding seasons significantly earlier than ever…
The hope for a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel, a vision enshrined in decades…
In a decision that brings a measure of relief to thousands of displaced Afghans, a…
A tremor of recognition might have shaken a man like Gregor Samsa. In 1915, Franz…
The scent of salt and desert dust hung in the air of Muscat, a world…
En gjenkjennelsesskjelving kunne ha rystet en mann som Gregor Samsa. I 1915 våknet Franz Kafkas…