PESHAWAR: A delegation led by the representative of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for Pakistan Philippa Cadler called on the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and discussed with him matters related to refugees living in the province.
They agreed to further strengthen the partnership for providing improved facilities to the refugees living in the province and to resolve their issues on sustainable basis.
The chief minister said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been hosting Afghan refugees for several decades in the province, adding that during the repatriation process of illegal immigrants, over three lac refugees have returned voluntarily to their homeland.
The provincial government as per traditions of the land, had extended all possible facilities to the immigrants going back to their homeland voluntarily, he said and added that the humanitarian aspect of the matter is fully taken care of; not a single complaint was received during this entire process.
He made it clear that the repatriation of undocumented immigrants to their homelands was a decision of the government of Pakistan, which would be implemented, however immigrants with the valid documents would have no issue to stay here.
The delegates thanked Pakistan, especially the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, for their hospitality to the Afghan refugees for a long time and said that the cooperation of the KP government in the process of voluntary return of foreigners to their countries was praiseworthy.
He added that collaboration with the provincial government would be made more coordinated for the sustainable solutions to the problems of refugees.
