UNHCR welcomes extension of stay for Afghan refugees in Pakistan
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR welcomes Pakistan's renewal of its commitment to providing protection and safety for over 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees.
Pakistan's new minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Abdul Qadir Baloch, announced on Friday at a tripartite meeting with the Government of Afghanistan and UNHCR in Kabul that his country would extend refugee cards for Afghans, known as proof of registration (PoR) cards. The cards had been due to expire on June 30.
Pakistan remains the world's largest refugee hosting nation, and has generously hosted millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of 1979.
The announcement by the States and Frontier Regions minister comes as Pakistan is finalizing a new national policy for Afghan refugees. The new policy is expected to be adopted soon by the Cabinet and includes recommendations for extension of PoR cards and continuation of a tri-partite arrangement between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and UNHCR governing voluntary returns of Afghan refugees.
UNHCR looks forward to the adoption of the new policy, as it provides a domestic framework for Pakistan's commitment to implement in letter and spirit the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees - a regional policy arrangement between the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and UNHCR to find solutions for one of the world's largest and most protracted refugee situations. The strategy, endorsed by an international gathering in Geneva in May 2012, supports repatriation, sustainable reintegration and assistance to host countries.
Extension of PoR cards will help end current uncertainty among Afghan refugees in Pakistan over their status. As an interim measure, we are encouraged to see an instruction from Minister Baloch's office sent to various authorities in Pakistan, including law enforcement authorities, asking them to respect existing refugee cards until the Cabinet decides on the new national policy, including extension of PoR cards.
UNHCR remains engaged with the governments of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan in facilitating voluntary returns and managing the stay of Afghan refugees, who need continued international protection in neighbouring countries. We also work to support the sustainable reintegration of Afghans who decide to voluntarily return to their country. In Pakistan, UNHCR and our partners remain engaged to develop infrastructure and improve services in refugee-affected and hosting areas, where communities have lived together with Afghan refugees for over three decades now.
As voluntary returns continue to take place, UNHCR is considering an increase in the return grant from US$150 to $200 for each Afghan refugee returning home, paid inside Afghanistan. Since 2002, UNHCR's voluntary repatriation programme has helped nearly 4.8 million Afghans return home (3.8 million from Pakistan and around a million from Iran). Around 22,000 Afghans have returned home from Pakistan so far this year.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
- In Kabul: Mohammad Nader Farhad on mobile +93 791 990018
- In Islamabad: Duniya Aslam Khan on mobile +92 300 5017939
- In Geneva: Babar Baloch on mobile +41 79 557 9106
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Your search for « PoR cards » matched 149 results. Displaying page 6 of 17 pages.
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Afghans still in Pakistan face challenges to return
7 Aug 2007 ... A UNHCR-supported government registration drive from October 2006 to February 2007 gave Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for three years to 2.15 million Afghans in Pakistan, allowing temporary ...... -
German foreign minister explores situation of Afghans in Pakistan
29 May 2007 ... As a result, he insisted on carrying to the G8 meeting a sample Proof of Registration (PoR) card issued after the Afghan registration exercise and a biometric border crossing card issued by ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2011 - Pakistan
1 Jun 2012 ... ... replacing or extending Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which will expire in December 2012. In addition, some 104,900 unregistered members of registered Afghan families also received SCAC cards. ...... -
Solutions strategy for Afghan refugees, Islamic Republic of Pakistan 2014
13 Jun 2014 ... ... 2013. The Cabinet also approved the extension of the validity of the Proof of Registration (PoR) card and the Tripartite Agreement until 31 December 2015 (the PoR card regulates the temporary stay ...... -
Chamberlin completes Pakistan visit with registration deal for Afghans
21 Apr 2006 ... Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will conduct the registration using fingerprint biometrics and photo IDs, and issue Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to the registered ...... -
Afghans in Pakistan: documenting a population on the move
31 Oct 2006 ... ... There is nothing in my country - no peace or food to eat," he said. Most of the Afghans who participated in the registration exercise seemed pleased with their PoR card. "I am very happy to have my ...... -
Update on UNHCR's operations in Asia and the Pacific 2010
30 Sep 2010 ... The Strategy comprises the extension of the Tripartite Agreement and the Proof of Registration (POR) card for 1.7 million Afghan refugees until the end of 2012, and a population profiling exercise for ...... -
Update on UNHCR's operations in Asia and the Pacific
24 Sep 2015 ... ... In Pakistan, the Government extended the validity of Proof of Registration (POR) cards until the end of 2015. The process, which started in early 2014, has allowed some 1.5 million refugees to renew ...... -
Update on UNHCR's operations in Asia and the Pacific
17 Sep 2014 ... ... Regional update – Asia and the Pacific 3 In July 2013, the Pakistani Government extended the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards until the end of 2015. The Government has since conducted a ......