PESHAWAR: The caretaker government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has asked the federal government for funds to ensure smooth voluntary repatriation of undocumented Afghan refugees, insisting that it’s facing a financial crisis.

“Around Rs1 billion is estimated to be our expenditure for ensuring the smooth return of ‘illegal’ refugees to their country but as we’re facing financial issues, we need that amount now,” provincial information minister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel told reporters here after a cabinet meeting.

The cabinet, which met with Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan in the chair, discussed the repatriation of illegal migrants, mostly Afghan nationals, via the province.

The minister claimed that Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had promised that expenses of the refugees’ repatriation would be equally shared by all provinces.

Provinces to share expenses of exercise as per PM’s promise, says minister

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa desperately needed those funds to facilitate the departure of ‘illegal’ aliens, mostly Afghans, from the country via its territory.

Mr Shah said the main burden of the countrywide repatriation exercise fell on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as its soil and resources were used by undocumented refugees coming in from Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to go to Afghanistan.

Earlier, the cabinet was briefed on arrangements for the repatriation of illegal migrants and related matters, according to an official statement.

It added that the chief minister expressed satisfaction with the efforts of authorities to facilitate the return of “illegal” refugees to Afghanistan and commended the role played by various departments and institutions, including district administrations and police, for the purpose.

Mr Khan said that the refugees leaving the country voluntarily should be treated with the “utmost humanity and special care according to the local traditions.”

He also emphasised the importance of transparency in repatriation expenditure and asked authorities to maintain records of both “regular and emergency” expenses.

The chief minister said that there was a need for strict adherence to rules and regulations to ensure transparency in the utilisation of funds for the repartition exercise.

The statement quoted information minister Feroze Kakakhel as saying that around 150,000 undocumented migrants had voluntarily left the country.

He said that besides voluntary repatriation, the deportation of “illegal” aliens was also under way.

The minister said that the government had exempted women and children from biometric verification at transit points.

“The influx of illegal migrants from other provinces has increased our [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s] responsibilities. We’ve declared a state of emergency in Nowshera, Peshawar and Khyber districts to improve the management [of this process],” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023