Pak desires reverent repatriation of refugees, says Sherpao
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has said that Pakistan was making efforts for reverential repatriation of Afghan refugees and would continue providing maximumpossible support to United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in this regard.
He was talking to a UNHCR delegation, led by its Country Director Gerry Kristoze, who called on him here on Thursday. The Minister said Pakistan desired peace and prosperity in Afghanistan as peaceful Afghanistan stood surety for progress and development in theentire region.
He said President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz were stern about progress and prosperity in Afghanistan and Pakistan would continue providing all sort of support for this cause to the Afghan establishment. He said the government was carrying out a 10-week exercise for registration of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan with collaboration of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), which wascontinuing efficiently.
“The government wants to create such an environment for Afghan refugees so that they could easily be repatriated to their homeland and would be able to take part in its progress”, the Minister said. He said due to efficient economic policies of the government the dawn of new era of prosperity and opulence have set in the country; foreign investors were rushing to Pakistan which would soon bring it in rank of developed countries.
Earlier, the Country Director UNHCR briefed the Minister about steps taken by the Commission for respectful repatriation of Afghan refugees.
The Minister lauded efforts made by the Commission and asserted full support in this regard.