KABUL: A spokesman for the interim Afghan administration has said that at least 200,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan since November 1, Turkish media reported on Monday.
Suhail Shaheen, also nominee to the UN, said that by estimates, some 200,000 Afghans have come back from Pakistan.
The official, however, said he cannot confirm the exact number of refugees who have come back to Afghanistan since November 1.
Pakistan had set November 1 as a deadline for illegal foreigners to leave the country otherwise strict action would be taken against them. Nearly one million people came under the illegal foreigner’s repatriation plan. The UN has asked Pakistan to halt such plans.
Taliban administration has established two main camps on their side of the border in Torkham and Spin Boldak.
12 committees setup to respond needs of returning refugees
Suhail Shaheen, told Turkish media that at least 12 committees have been set up by the Taliban to handle the process adding that tents have been installed inside the Afghan territory for the incoming people.
He claimed that Afghan businessmen have come back to help the Taliban administration. He said that Afghans coming from Pakistan will be settled in their native provinces, townships, and cities.
Shaheen added that the innocent refugees have nothing to do with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
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He said that there is a need for medicines, tents, food, and drinking water for the incoming refugees.
Earlier, Pakistan said it has no plan to extend the deadline and all undocumented foreigners would be deported irrespective of their nationality.
Pakistan has been hosting a large number of Afghan refugees since the 1979 Soviet war. As per the UN Human Rights Office, more than 2 million undocumented Afghans were residing in Pakistan, including at least 600,000 who left the country after the Taliban came into power in August 2021.
