Over 3.2m Afghans repatriated during last five years
By Uzma Babar

ISLAMABAD—More than 3.2 million Afghans have voluntarily repatriated from Pakistan with the UNHCR assistance making it the largest such operation in the UN refugee agency’s history.
Official told APP here Friday that UNHCR had started assisting returns to post-Taliban Afghanistan in 2002 and a total of 3228465 Afghans have been processed to return home so far. He said the number includes more than 1.56 million in 2002; 343,074 in 2003; 383,598 in 2004; 449,520 in 2005 and 133,015 in 2006.
However, in 2007 over 356,000 Afghans registered and non-registered in Pakistan opted to return home with an enhanced repatriation package averaging $ 100 per person, he added. Official said that some 80 percent left from Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, 13 percent from Balochistan, 3 percent from Sindh and the rest from Punjab and Islamabad.
He said that the main provinces of return in Afghanistan in 2007 were: Nangarhar (57 percent of returnees), Laghman (6.5 percent), Kabul (6 percent), Kandahar (4.4 percent), Kunduz and Ghazni (3.7 percent each). In 2006, Kabul was the top province of return, followed by Nangarhar, Kunduz, Logar and Paktya, he said.
Giving information about registered Afghans, Official said that a total of 2.153 million Afghans were registered in the government-led exercise. He said all registered Afghans above the age of five received Proof of Registration (PoR) Cards issued by the government recognizing them as Afghan citizens temporarily living in Pakistan.
These cards, he said, are valid for three years, until December 2009, adding, over 2 million having register cards are still living in the country. Presently, official said that voluntary repatriation from Pakistan stopped on Wednesday (October 31) for the annual winter break. He said “UNHCR will keep Afghans informed if there are any further announcements on voluntary repatriation during the winter break”.
While, the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghans from Iran will continue throughout winter without any break, he added. However, returns are not expected to rise much above their current low total of 6,500 during the remaining months of the year, he added.
UNHCR encashment centres, where returnees receive financial assistance once they arrive in Afghanistan, will remain open until 31 December to process returnees from Iran, official added. He said that inside Afghanistan, over 350 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been assisted home in 2007.
This brings to 500,000 the total number of IDPs who UNHCR has helped home since 2002. Many more have gone back on their own, he added. To help returnees settle back in their home areas, the UN refugee agency has provided 10,000 shelter kits this year to the neediest families.