Arafat Jamal described the expulsion of Afghan refugees as regrettable and called for the creation of conditions for the dignified return of Afghan refugees.
Referring to the return of Afghan refugees, Arafat Jamal said: “One of the figures that we have is that since September there have been 700,000 returns from Pakistan to Afghanistan.”
Jamal also reported a reduction in UNHCR’s budget, noting that of the $250 million requested by the organization, only fifty percent has been funded. He cited the budget cuts as one of the reasons for the inadequate support provided to returning refugees.
“Yes, our appeal has been for $250 million, but we have only fifty percent funded,” Arafat Jamal added.
According to the UNHCR representative for Afghanistan, although the situation in Afghanistan has become more peaceful, one of the main reasons for the migration of some Afghan citizens in the past three years is the lack of educational opportunities for girls.
“One thing that we see is a number of people leaving because of the lack of educational opportunities for their girls. This is obviously a very serious issue, when a family feels that there is no hope for some of their children and that they have to leave for that, “ he added.
The UNHCR representative for Afghanistan also mentioned that the organization is working to create conditions for the stable return of Afghan refugees from other countries.