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 1 of 17 pages.
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More than half-a-million Afghans register to date for Pakistan's POR cards
29 Nov 2006 ... They are channelled into separate queues to be scheduled and verified and to receive their Proof of Registration (POR) cards. At Karachi's bustling Al-Asif centre, which processes more than 1,000 ...... -
Afghans now able to update, modify identification in Pakistan
10 Nov 2008 ... HARIPUR, Pakistan, November 10 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency on Monday opened four centres throughout Pakistan to update and modify Proof of Registration (PoR) cards held by Afghans who were ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2013 - Pakistan
1 Jun 2014 ... Following UNHCR advocacy, the Government extended the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards and the Tripartite Agreement on Voluntary Repatriation until the end of December 2015, ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2007 - Pakistan
1 Jun 2008 ... Operational highlights • The Government of Pakistan and UNHCR registered 2.1 million Afghans living in the country. All were issued Proof of Registration (POR) cards valid through 2009. • UNHCR ...... -
Pakistan registers 2 million Afghans, exercise nears completion
2 Feb 2007 ... 2.4 million in Pakistan - have been registered since last October in the Pakistan government-run exercise to provide Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to Afghans who were counted in the 2005 census. ...... -
UNHCR welcomes extension of stay for Afghan refugees in Pakistan
2 Jul 2013 ... 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. ...... -
External Resettlement Referral Form - English Pakistan
25 Jun 2015 ... 1. BIO DATA Name of principal applicant (PRA) Family size UNHCR file/PNA number (if applicable) PoR card number/valid up to Referred by (name, title, organization) 1. Nationality: 2. Most recent date ...... -
Pakistan Fact Sheet
Aug 2015 ... Afghan refugee Proof of registration (PoR) cardholders 1,554,910 Afghan refugees without PoR cards Somalia (Refugees) 5,391 376 Others (Refugees) Asylum seekers Total IDPs In-Camp Jalozai ...... -
Pakistan: Resumption of voluntary returns to Afghanistan
2 Mar 2007 ... From March 1 to April 15, Afghans who did not register and thus do not have Proof of Registration (PoR) cards can approach UNHCR's Voluntary Repatriation Centres in Pakistan if they wish to be ......