The government of Pakistan’s announcement to give Afghan refugees new Proof of Registration (PoR) cards is a laudable step. Under this joint programme of the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), those Afghans whose PoR cards expired on December 31, 2015, will get new identity cards. The initiative is a great step and shows Pakistan’s seriousness to address the issues of refugees. It also shows our commitment to protect human, economic and social rights of the Afghan citizens in Pakistan.
Furthermore, the exercise will benefit the government as well as the refugees alike. The updated database will enable the government to keep track of foreign nationals and help enhance their protection. Besides, the government will also improve its security with the new registration drive of around 1.4 million Afghan refugees. Though border control is not a complete possibility, a database of foreign nationals and registration with the authorities of the host countries is a common practice the world over to prevent crime, terror and abuse of refugees’ rights.
Similarly, the new PoR cardholders will be in a better position to move within Pakistan. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) will not stop them unnecessarily, as new documents will help facilitate identity authentication easily. Likewise, they will be able to access social services swiftly. Islamabad alone cannot bear the economic and infrastructural costs of providing refuge and social services that Afghans need for leading a better life.
It is worth noting that the Afghans in Pakistan make the second-largest refugee population in the world. Considering the uncertainty in Afghanistan, it is hard to predict a timeline by which the last Afghan will repatriate to Afghanistan. And given the economic outlook of Pakistan that the pandemic has worsened, the donor countries and aid agencies need to provide financial assistance to Pakistan more than ever today.https://nation.com.pk/04-Mar-2021/afghan-registration
Afghan Registration: Edit in The Nation, Mar 4, 2021
The government of Pakistan’s announcement to give Afghan refugees new Proof of Registration (PoR) cards is a laudable step. Under this joint programme of the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), those Afghans whose PoR cards expired on December 31, 2015, will get new identity cards. The initiative is a great step and shows Pakistan’s seriousness to address the issues of refugees. It also shows our commitment to protect human, economic and social rights of the Afghan citizens in Pakistan.
Furthermore, the exercise will benefit the government as well as the refugees alike. The updated database will enable the government to keep track of foreign nationals and help enhance their protection. Besides, the government will also improve its security with the new registration drive of around 1.4 million Afghan refugees. Though border control is not a complete possibility, a database of foreign nationals and registration with the authorities of the host countries is a common practice the world over to prevent crime, terror and abuse of refugees’ rights.
Similarly, the new PoR cardholders will be in a better position to move within Pakistan. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) will not stop them unnecessarily, as new documents will help facilitate identity authentication easily. Likewise, they will be able to access social services swiftly. Islamabad alone cannot bear the economic and infrastructural costs of providing refuge and social services that Afghans need for leading a better life.
It is worth noting that the Afghans in Pakistan make the second-largest refugee population in the world. Considering the uncertainty in Afghanistan, it is hard to predict a timeline by which the last Afghan will repatriate to Afghanistan. And given the economic outlook of Pakistan that the pandemic has worsened, the donor countries and aid agencies need to provide financial assistance to Pakistan more than ever today.https://nation.com.pk/04-Mar-2021/afghan-registration
Published in Pak Media comment