HARIPUR, Oct 17 (APP): In a significant development, 176 unregistered and 24 registered Afghan refugees from camps in Haripur have returned to Afghanistan. The news was disclosed by the Security In-charge of Haripur and Mansehra Afghan Refugee Camps, Muhammad Naveed, while talking to APP.
He told that Haripur is home to a significant population of Afghan refugees, with 73,082 people residing in both the refugee camps and urban areas.
Of these numbers, 47,905 lived in Paniyan Afghan Refugee Camp, 4,912 in Basso Mairan, 8,313 in Pedhana, and 11,952 in various urban areas.
He added that This development came after the wake of the Pakistani government’s announcement of a crackdown on non-citizens lacking proper documentation. Consequently, the process of evacuating Afghan refugee camps in Haripur has been set into motion. As of now, 24 people from camps number 10, 15, and 16, all belonging to four registered families, have already returned to Afghanistan.
Furthermore, a total number of 176 unregistered people from 28 different families, primarily from camps number 02, 03, 06, 09, and 16, have also left for their home country. These returnees comprise men, women, and children, signifying a mixed demographic of Afghan refugees who have chosen to return amid the changing circumstances.