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Bodies of 800 Afghan refugees repatriated in past year: officials
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced Wednesday that the bodies of 800 Afghan refugees have been repatriated from a number of countries in the past year.
According to officials, 2,900 Afghan citizens, who were being trafficked, were rescued and returned to the country.
Deputy Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Mohammad Arsla Kharoti said in the government’s accountability program that more than 952,000 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan, Iran and other countries in the past year.
He added that in one year, around 4,000 Afghans have been released from the prisons of Pakistan and Iran and transferred to Afghanistan. There are seven million Afghan refugees abroad and another three million internally displaced people, he said.
Officials of the Ministry of Refugees also stated that discussions are ongoing regarding the release of the remaining Afghan prisoners in Pakistan and Iran. They called on hosting countries to treat refugees well.
The officials said that they are working on ways to attract national and international aid for returnees, holding multilateral meetings to solve the problems faced by Afghan refugees abroad and facilitating the return of refugees are among the focal areas of the ministry this year.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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