Federal Government Orders Closure of 40-Year-Old Afghan Refugee Camps

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to shut down Afghan refugee camps established over 40 years ago following the repatriation of Afghan nationals.

According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, five camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been ordered closed. The land of these camps has been directed to be handed over to the provincial government and respective deputy commissioners.

Among the closed camps, three were located in Haripur district, one in Chitral, and one in Upper Dir. The Pinyan camp in Haripur, which housed over 100,000 refugees, was among the largest.

The UNHCR has reported that the majority of Afghan refugees in Pakistan still reside in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has already voiced opposition to the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees, while just days ago, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser called for an immediate halt to the repatriation process.