By IRNA,
Islamabad : The UN refugee agency said Friday that Afghans returning home from Pakistan under the UN refugee agency’s voluntary repatriation program will be suspended at the end of October for the usual winter break this year.
It will resume in March 2009, a UNHCR statement said.
Repatriation from Pakistan’s south-western Balochistan province will be suspended on October 30th and in northwest frontier province on October 31st.
Afghans wishing to return could visit the Voluntary Repatriation Center (VRC) before the deadline.
After these dates, returning Afghans should not approach the UNHCR VRCs in the two provinces until a further announcement early next year.
The UNHCR will re-start the voluntary repatriation of Afghans in Pakistan in March 2009.
According to UNHCR, there are still around 1.8 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan in camps and also in rented houses.
Pakistan expelled thousands of Afghan refugees from the insurgency-hit Bajaur tribal region earlier this month.
The authorities were claiming that Afghan refugees were supporting the local militants in their fight against Pakistani forces.