Committee for handling repatriation of refugees’ issue diplomatically
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions which met in the Parliament House here Wednesday under the Chairmanship of Senator Hamidullah Jan Afridi has observed that the issue of repatriation of Afghan refugees be handled carefully and diplomatically as it was a sensitive issue.
The Committee made this observation while having a briefing on matters relating to dismantling of Afghan refugee camp Jalozai, District Nowshera established on private land by the Government of Pakistan and the UNHCR. Mr. Sajjad Hussain Chattha, Secretary SAFRON informed the Committee that Jalozai Afghan refugees’ camp was established on private land in 1980 and that the Government pays land compensation to the land owners.
The Committee was told that 227 land owners were annually receiving Rs. 24 million as compensation from the Government. It was further informed that 22,417 families were residing in the camp and that 108,498 refugees were presently residing in the Jalozai camp. In reply to a question, the Committee was informed that the Government had received information that the camp was turned into a hideout for the miscreants and that the said camp was then identified for closure because of security reasons. The Afghan refugees’ camp located in H-11, Islamabad has already been closed and the consultations were going on for the repatriation of refugees from other camps. The Committee was further informed that the repatriation of the refugees will be done gradually and voluntarily and that the said camp will be closed by December, 2006 as per agreement covered under the international law. In reply to another question regarding the measures taken by the Government to safeguard buildings and equipments at the camps, the Committee was informed that necessary staff has already been deputed to ensure safety of the Government buildings and infrastructure.
The Committee was assured that immediate inquiry will be conducted to ascertain whether any damage has been caused to the Government buildings and infrastructure by the miscreants and that the report would be submitted to the Committee for its consideration.