Five Pakhtun leaders give 14 proposals for return of Afghan refugees

ISLAMABAD: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani singled out one woman out of millions of Afghan refugees who have returned home or are still in Pakistan because she was a world celebrity achieving international fame because of one photograph taken in 1984.

This was the face of an Afghan refugee the world had never seen before even as Afghan Mujahideen backed by Pakistan and the CIA were fighting the occupation forces of Soviet Union. The move came when five Pakhtun political party leaders have asked the government to enact appropriate legislation governing the subject of refugees keeping in view its own national interest and specific environment.

The UNHCR says that 1.6 million have been registered out of over three million Afghan refugees. This is because of the lax attitude of the government, unlike in Iran where the process is more streamlined. A question that should be asked of Ghani is whether other millions of women who have returned home to a hopeless future are not worthy of the attention of his government?

Sharbat Gula was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Oct 26 from her house in Peshawar for forgery of a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC). Afghans have for decades resorted to these fake identities especially in the case of their arrests abroad and it is only on their return to Pakistan that their ‘fake’ Pakistani nationality is exposed.

While Sharbat Gula pleaded guilty to all charges, even the United Nations High Commissioner had to admit that she was not even registered as a refugee. The law took its course and Sharbat Gula was ordered to be deported.Would any Pakistani with a fake identity card not be brought before the courts in any other country including Afghanistan whether the citizen was a man or a woman?

The government is once again thinking of extending the deadline for all Afghan refugees to return home, which is in itself self-defeating because realities in Pakhtunkhwa have changed, there is donor fatigue, refugee camps are being used by militants, Pakistan has done more than its share of hosting these refugees for 35 years and Ashraf Ghani has to make good on his assurance when he took office that repatriation of Afghan refugees will be his top priority.

Neither is it in Pakistan’s tradition nor that of Pakhtuns to push these refugees out in any undignified manner. The goodwill that this country has earned by hosting the biggest refugee population in the world will be carried by these refugees when they return as for many it would be their first time inside their own country.

The five Pakhtun leaders have also made 14 recommendations for the management and repatriation of Afghan refugees.Amongst the Pakhtun leaders are Mehmood Khan Achakzai, chairman Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, chairman Qaumi Watan Party, Senator Sirajul Haq, amir Jamaat-e-Islami and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, amir Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl. The only honourable exception is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

These five leaders pointed out that to ensure stability in the region, maintain Pakistan’s good rapport and in view of the national security paradigm, Pakistan must continue with voluntary, gradual and honourable repatriation of Afghan refugees with the assistance of the United Nations and international community.

One of the recommendations pointed out that a viable and realistic timeline for the return of Afghan refugees to their country of origin should be set.

“The proof of registration cards and tripartite agreement many be extended till 31-12-2021 in line with the policy adopted by Iran. Efforts must simultaneously be made to maintain the current momentum of voluntary repatriation.”

The government has also been asked that unregistered Afghans may be documented.“Nadra should issue biometric cards to Afghan refugees and Ministry of Safron may take up the matter with IOM for treating this caseload at par with POR card holders and provide the same incentives. Till such time as the documentation process by Nadra is completed, undue harassment and application of Section 14 of the Foreigners Act should be avoided.”