Pakistan: 80,000 now in sqalid Jalozai camp

Briefing notes

Pakistan: 80,000 now in sqalid Jalozai camp

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

1 February 2001

The number of Afghans in Pakistan's squalid Jalozai camp has risen to 80,000. Last week, UNHCR began a verification exercise to determine how many people were in need of urgent assistance. Out of over 5,800 people interviewed, 4,000 were deemed vulnerable and transferred to a better-equipped camp of New Shamshatoo. On Wednesday, the Pakistani government suspended the verification process without explanation, making it impossible for UNHCR to move vulnerable people to better conditions.

Meanwhile, UNHCR and the local, health authorities have set up a clinic at the Jalozai camp which is now vaccinating children under 12 against measles. The Dutch chapter of the Médecins sans Frontières medical NGO has also set up a clinic at the camp. Drinking water has been brought in by tanker, while the NGO Shelter Now International has supplied 5,000 quilts.

Since September 2000, we have moved 60,000 people from Jalozai to New Shamshatoo where UNHCR provides tents, quilts, cooking stoves and jerry cans while WFP supplies the food.

More than 160,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan over the past four months, fleeing renewed fighting, as well as the country's worst drought in living memory.