Afghan diplomat in Peshawar says Kabul ready to take care of returning refugees

Afghan consul general in Peshawar Hafiz Muhibullah Shakir on Wednesday said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) was prepared to “take care” of Afghan refugees on return from Pakistan.

He also said an Afghan delegation would discuss mechanisms for the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

“They [refugees] are worried that after living here [in Pakistan] for 45 years, they fear facing issues in Afghanistan, but let me assure them that won’t happen,” Shakir told a news conference at the Afghan consulate here, local media reported.

The Afghan consul general said the IEA would take care of refugees on homecoming.

He said a commission, consisting of 12 committees with members from almost all departments, had been formed to address issues related to the repatriation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan.

“They [refugees] would have faced issues only had there been Russians or Americans in power in Afghanistan, but this won’t happen as it’s us [Afghans] in power there. The journey has begun. There is peace, and there is no problem,” he said, adding that the Afghans will rebuild their country together.

The Afghan consul general said the refugees, who lacked accommodation across the border, would be accommodated in camps established for them.

He said besides the Afghan government, philanthropists had also come forward and announced building houses and assisting the returning Afghan nationals in managing businesses.

When asked about those Afghan nationals, who had lived for decades in Pakistan and established businesses besides owned properties, Mr Shakir said that the delegation visiting Pakistan would hold talks on how to address those problems as, besides businesses and properties, some Pakistan might owe things to Afghan nationals and some Afghan nationals to Pakistanis.