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UN refugee boss arrives in Afghanistan amid unprecedented returns
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi arrived in Kabul on Saturday amid a record surge in returns of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries.
Grandi was welcomed at Kabul International Airport by Sheikh Kaleem-ur-Rahman Fani, Deputy Minister of Finance and Administration at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation. During the reception, Fani praised Grandi’s visit and stressed the need for international support to address the urgent needs of returnees.
“Resolving refugee issues is a shared responsibility,” Fani said, highlighting that returnees require not only emergency assistance but also sustainable access to shelter, education, and healthcare.
Grandi said his visit aims to assess the situation of returnees firsthand and to hold talks with officials of the Islamic Emirate and affected communities.
He noted that the mass return of refugees from neighboring countries is a major challenge, adding that despite global financial pressures, UNHCR remains committed to its humanitarian mission in Afghanistan.
He is expected to visit Herat province as part of his mission, where he will evaluate the conditions of returning families.
The visit comes as hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees have been forced to return from Iran in recent months, placing enormous strain on humanitarian services and local infrastructure across Afghanistan.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, has urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete action against militant threats that Islamabad says originate from Afghan soil.
Speaking at an event at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul marking the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, Nizamani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining “brotherly ties” with Afghanistan.
The ambassador also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad’s initiatives reflected its commitment to regional and global peace.
During the ceremony, Nizamani reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to defend itself against any aggression.
“Pakistan’s desire for peace must never be mistaken for weakness,” the ambassador said, calling for heightened vigilance against regional threats.
Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that militants use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied this claim and said that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s security failures.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a five-year contract for the extraction of gold at a mine in Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province, with an investment valued at more than $20 million.
According to the ministry, the agreement was signed on Sunday by Hedayatullah Badri, Afghanistan’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, in the presence of the ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
The project covers an area of approximately 5.97 square kilometers and is expected to attract an investment of $20.24 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, the company responsible for the project has pledged to pay a 30 percent royalty to the Afghan government and allocate $200,000 toward social development and public service initiatives in the area.
Officials said the project is also expected to generate employment opportunities for around 100 people through both direct and indirect jobs.
The ministry described the agreement as part of ongoing efforts to attract domestic and foreign investment into Afghanistan’s mining sector, which authorities view as a key driver of economic growth and regional cooperation.
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