UN repatriation programme for Afghans in Pakistan resumes after winter break

The United Nations refugee agency has resumed the voluntary repatriation of Afghans in Pakistan after a winter break, the sixth year of the largest such operation in the agency’s history that has already seen over 2.87 million Afghans return from Pakistan, and another 1.5 million from Iran.

The resumption yesterday follows a recently-concluded registration that counted over 2.1 million Afghans still living in Pakistan, many of whom fled their homeland decades ago in the face of the Soviet invasion and subsequent factional fighting as well as the more recent Taliban regime that was ousted by a United States-led invasion in 2001.

UNHCR expects some 250,000 Afghans to return from Pakistan and Iran during this year’s repatriation season which will extend until 15 November. The operation is largely funded by the European Commission.

After passing the standard iris-verification test to ensure they have not previously received UNHCR assistance, they will receive the package of travel and reintegration assistance at an encashment centre in Afghanistan.

Last year, each returning Afghan family received between $4 and $37 in travel grant depending on the distance home. Each individual received $12 in reintegration assistance.