Reversing recent trend, thousands of Afghans seek to enter Pakistan, UN reports

Reversing the recent trend of Afghans returning to their country across international borders, thousands of new refugees from Afghanistan are seeking to enter Pakistan, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today.

"At the Chaman border in southern Pakistan, 4,000 to 5,000 individuals are waiting in no man's land to be admitted into Pakistan at the Killi Faizo camp," spokesperson Fatoumata Kaba told reporters in Islamabad. "This is the first time in several weeks that we are seeing such a large number of arrivals from Afghanistan. On the contrary, the trend has been one of returns by the thousands daily."

Anticipating capacity problems if an influx continues into the Chaman area, the agency today held meetings with government officials and key operational partners to discuss possible alternatives to accommodate new arrivals.

The UNHCR spokesperson also reported on "a more positive development" in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province region, where the agency today transferred an additional 1,600 refugees from Jalozai, near Peshawar, to Bajour and Kurram.

In Iran, Ms. Kaba reported a drop in returns at Dogharoun, with 900 Afghans going back daily since 24 December, down from a recent high of nearly 8,000 returns in one day at the same crossing point. "We are investigating the reasons for this dramatic drop in spontaneous returns," she said.