MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration on Tuesday served a final notice the Afghan refugees living in Manshera to vacate the camp by June 30 in a bid to ensure the ‘security’ for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
As many as 2,397 families are living in the three camps situated in the area.
“The decision has been taken in the wake to ensure China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) security,” said Assistant Commissioner Mansehra Talat Fahad in a notice to the refugee families.
The move comes after Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had unanimously agreed on a 12-point joint declaration on the conclusion of the Tripartite Commission meeting which discussed safe and honourable repatriation of Afghan refugees.
According to the UNHCR, Pakistan is hosting over 1.4 million Afghan refugees, making the country the second largest host of the refugee population in the world.
Some refugees have been living in Pakistan for three generations. They have established their business here, and some of them have even married locals and have been deeply integrated into society.
The interim stay of Afghan refugees extended by the Pakistani government is coming to an end on June 30, and Minister of State for States and Frontier Region Shehryar Khan Afridi affirmed that his country supports voluntary repatriation of the Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan in safety and dignity.
