PESHAWAR  -  The repatriation process of un­documented immigrants was expedited through Torkham border where illegal refugees are being seen returning to their homes in significant num­bers with only two days left in the October 31st deadline.

The return process of un­documented Afghans through the Torkham border has been accelerated from where 33, 555 illegal immigrants went to their home country between October 1-23, 2023 in a safe and digni­fied manner. Lateefur Rehman, spokesman of KP Home and Tribal Affairs Department told APP on Sunday that repatriation of undocumented Afghan refu­gees was accelerated as the Oc­tober 31 deadline approaches fast and approximately 33,555 undocumented Afghan immi­grants have left for their home country between October 1- 23 through Torkham border that connect Pakistan and Afghani­stan through Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Afghan families included 2,772 families, consisting of 8,309 men, 5,457 women, and 19,789 children, reflecting the diverse demographic nature of the Afghan population. The voluntary repa­triation process through the busy Torkham border was started after the government instructed all un­registered immigrants to return to their native countries by Octo­ber 31, 2023. He said Additional Chief Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department, Muhammad Abid Majeed has visited Afghan Refugees camps at Torkham bor­der and Landi Kotal tehsil in Dis­trict Khyber and reviewed all the arrangements for the smooth re­turn of undocumented refugees.

Deputy Commissioner Khyber, Abdul Nasir Khan briefed the Ad­ditional Chief Secretary on the preparations and facilities of the district administration for the ef­ficient return of all illegal foreign nationals at Landikotal and Tork­ham border. The Additional Chief Secretary inspected the facilities and arrangements including wa­ter, tents and food services made for the smooth and voluntary return of the immigrants. He re­viewed preparations for repatria­tion in relief camps established at the Torkham border and Lan­dikotal and expressed satisfac­tion with all necessary measures, which were put in place for the smooth return of Afghan refugees.

Deputy Commissioner Khyber, Abdul Nasir Khan presented a detailed briefing to the Additional Chief Secretary on the steps taken by district administration to fa­cilitate the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees to their home country. The ACS expressed satis­faction over the work done so far and directed to providing facilities to Afghan refugees. Pakistan has hosted over 4.4 million Afghan refugees since 1979 after the USSR invasion of Afghanistan and has shared all essential services including hospitals, schools, col­leges, transport, businesses and jobs with Afghan brothers and sis­ters during the last 44 years.

Pakistani in order to provide speedy relief and humanitarian assistance to over 4.4 million Af­ghan refugees mostly settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balo­chistan, had set up Commis­sionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR) at Peshawar that pro­vided food, shelter, healthcare, education, and other essential services to Afghan refugees ac­commodated in 43 camps and urban areas during this long pe­riod in a dignified manner.

Meanwhile, the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seven merged tribal districts are fully behind the government’s decision to evacuate all illegal immigrants, citing the anticipated improve­ments in the economy, employ­ment opportunities and law and order situation. Besides food, roads, higher education and wa­ter services, all provincial govern­ments in Pakistan have provided psycho-social support, and skills training for livelihood opportu­nities and opened schools to fa­cilitate Afghan refugees. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s residents while lauding the government’s deci­sion, expressed the hope that the departure of illegally residing for­eigners will help bring about posi­tive changes in their region, which has been grappling with poverty, socioeconomic imbalances, un­employment and other socioeco­nomic challenges.