UN refugee agency says over 6,000 Pakistani refugees registered in Afghanistan

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE

Afghan authorities in the eastern province Khost have registered over 6,000 refugees fleeing the current offensive across the border by Pakistan’s military against Taliban militants in North Waziristan Agency, an official of the UN refugee agency said Friday.

Babar Baloch, spokesperson of UNHCR based in Geneva, told The Express Tribune via telephone that Afghan authorities have said that the number of refugees from Pakistan is more than estimated, as they are scattered and currently staying with the locals, relatives and friends.

“The Afghan government has not yet made a total assessment as the refugees are not staying in a camp,” Baloch said. The UNHCR is helping the Afghans who are hosting the Pakistani refugees, he added. The UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said the refugee agency is helping authorities in Khost to register and assist the fleeing Pakistanis.

Some 6,452 people from Pakistan have fled North Waziristan into the eastern parts of Afghanistan, mostly arriving in the districts of Gurboz, Khost (Matun), Tanni, Nadir Shah Kot and Mando Zai in Khost province, he said at a briefing in Geneva, according to details emailed to The Express Tribune.

“The newly arrived women, men and children have trekked the mountainous terrains across Pakistan’s border to seek safety,” he said.

The spokesperson said that the Pakistani refugees are being accommodated with local Afghan communities for now. “However, Afghan hosting communities have limited absorption capacity and resources. The urgent needs include shelter, clean drinking water and sanitation.”

“UNHCR is concerned that [the] families close to conflict-affected areas will be further exposed to violence, and humanitarian access could be limited,” he said.

As an immediate response, UNHCR is providing tents and other basic relief items to the most vulnerable, while its partner agency the World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food assistance, including sugar, rice, tea, beans and salt. He said a joint assessment on the needs of the latest arrivals are being conducted with the provincial directorate of the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, WFP and other partners to assess urgent humanitarian needs. The spokesperson said that the government of Pakistan has confirmed that over 101,000 people have been internally displaced from North Waziristan into the Banu, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

“As part of a UN inter-agency response, in support of the government, UNHCR is ready to assist the displaced population inside Pakistan,” he said.