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[[Image:LocationAfghanistan.svg|thumb|[[Afghanistan]] (in red), most refugees entered Pakistan (to the southeast) and Iran (to the west). The Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan from the north.]]
[[Image:LocationAfghanistan.svg|thumb|[[Afghanistan]] (in red), most refugees entered Pakistan (to the southeast) and Iran (to the west). The Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan from the north.]]
'''Afghan refugees''' (known as ''[[Muhajir]] Afghans'' in [[South Asia]]) are native people or citizens of [[Afghanistan]] who fled their country after the [[Soviet war in Afghanistan|Soviet invasion of 1979]] and the long [[Civil war in Afghanistan|civil war]] that followed. In late 1988, a total of approximately 3.3 million Afghan [[refugee]]s were housed in [[Pakistan]]. It was reported by the [[The New York Times|New York Times]] in November 1988 that about 100,000 Afghans were living in the city of [[Peshawar]] while more than 2 million were staying in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/16/world/pakistan-restricts-afghan-refugees.html Pakistan Restricts Afghan Refugees] by Donatella Lorch for the [[The New York Times|New York Times]]. November 16, 1988.</ref> The now-closed [[Jalozai]] camp was one of the largest [[refugee camp]]s in [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], Pakistan, on the outskirt of Peshawar. In or about the same time, close to two million Afghans were living in [[Iran]]. Many also made their way into [[North America]], the [[European Union]], [[Australia]], and other parts of the world. Several thousands settled in [[India]], mostly Afghan [[Sikh]]s and [[Hindu]]s that became citizens of India over time.<ref>http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47bc36204.html</ref><ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/487390023.cms</ref><ref>http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/441190254.html</ref><ref>http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/56e2b1010a330a11d2d7c10f8619804d.htm</ref>
'''Afghan refugees''' ({{lang-ps|{{Nastaliq|افغان کډوال}}}}), (known as ''[[Muhajir]] Afghans'' in [[South Asia]]) are native people or citizens of [[Afghanistan]] who fled their country after the [[Soviet war in Afghanistan|Soviet invasion of 1979]] and the long [[Civil war in Afghanistan|civil war]] that followed. In late 1988, a total of approximately 3.3 million Afghan [[refugee]]s were housed in [[Pakistan]]. It was reported by the [[The New York Times|New York Times]] in November 1988 that about 100,000 Afghans were living in the city of [[Peshawar]] while more than 2 million were staying in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/16/world/pakistan-restricts-afghan-refugees.html Pakistan Restricts Afghan Refugees] by Donatella Lorch for the [[The New York Times|New York Times]]. November 16, 1988.</ref> The now-closed [[Jalozai]] camp was one of the largest [[refugee camp]]s in [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], Pakistan, on the outskirt of Peshawar. In or about the same time, close to two million Afghans were living in [[Iran]]. Many also made their way into [[North America]], the [[European Union]], [[Australia]], and other parts of the world. Several thousands settled in [[India]], mostly Afghan [[Sikh]]s and [[Hindu]]s that became citizens of India over time.<ref>http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47bc36204.html</ref><ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/487390023.cms</ref><ref>http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/441190254.html</ref><ref>http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/56e2b1010a330a11d2d7c10f8619804d.htm</ref>


After [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]], when the [[United States armed forces|United States]] and [[British Armed Forces|British armed forces]] engaged in war with the [[Taliban]] during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]], an unknown number of more Afghans fled their country to Pakistan. By the end of 2001, there were approximately 5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which also included the numbers that were born inside that country during the past 20 years. At the same time there were about 2.4 million Afghans staying or living in Iran, which totaled to approximately 7.5 million in both countries. About 85% of these Afghans are believed to be ethnic [[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]]<ref>[http://www.afghan-network.net/Ethnic-Groups/pashtuns.html Pashtuns of Afghanistan]</ref>, while the remaining 15% are [[Tajik people|Tajiks]], [[Hazara people|Hazaras]], [[Uzbeks]], [[Baloch people|Baloch]], [[Turkmen people|Turkmen]], [[Nuristani people|Nuristani]], [[Aimak]], [[Pashai people|Pashai]], and others. [[Image:Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan in 2004.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Refugees returning from [[Pakistan]] in 2004.]]
After [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]], when the [[United States armed forces|United States]] and [[British Armed Forces|British armed forces]] engaged in war with the [[Taliban]] during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]], an unknown number of more Afghans fled their country to Pakistan. By the end of 2001, there were approximately 5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which also included the numbers that were born inside that country during the past 20 years. At the same time there were about 2.4 million Afghans staying or living in Iran, which totaled to approximately 7.5 million in both countries. About 85% of these Afghans are believed to be ethnic [[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]]<ref>[http://www.afghan-network.net/Ethnic-Groups/pashtuns.html Pashtuns of Afghanistan]</ref>, while the remaining 15% are [[Tajik people|Tajiks]], [[Hazara people|Hazaras]], [[Uzbeks]], [[Baloch people|Baloch]], [[Turkmen people|Turkmen]], [[Nuristani people|Nuristani]], [[Aimak]], [[Pashai people|Pashai]], and others. [[Image:Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan in 2004.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Refugees returning from [[Pakistan]] in 2004.]]

Revision as of 20:51, 8 September 2010

Afghanistan (in red), most refugees entered Pakistan (to the southeast) and Iran (to the west). The Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan from the north.

Afghan refugees (Pashto: افغان کډوال), (known as Muhajir Afghans in South Asia) are native people or citizens of Afghanistan who fled their country after the Soviet invasion of 1979 and the long civil war that followed. In late 1988, a total of approximately 3.3 million Afghan refugees were housed in Pakistan. It was reported by the New York Times in November 1988 that about 100,000 Afghans were living in the city of Peshawar while more than 2 million were staying in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[1] The now-closed Jalozai camp was one of the largest refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the outskirt of Peshawar. In or about the same time, close to two million Afghans were living in Iran. Many also made their way into North America, the European Union, Australia, and other parts of the world. Several thousands settled in India, mostly Afghan Sikhs and Hindus that became citizens of India over time.[2][3][4][5]

After September 11, 2001, when the United States and British armed forces engaged in war with the Taliban during Operation Enduring Freedom, an unknown number of more Afghans fled their country to Pakistan. By the end of 2001, there were approximately 5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which also included the numbers that were born inside that country during the past 20 years. At the same time there were about 2.4 million Afghans staying or living in Iran, which totaled to approximately 7.5 million in both countries. About 85% of these Afghans are believed to be ethnic Pashtuns[6], while the remaining 15% are Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Aimak, Pashai, and others.

Refugees returning from Pakistan in 2004.

Since early 2002, more than 5 million Afghan refugees have repatriated through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from both Pakistan and Iran back to their native country, Afghanistan.[7] From 2005 to late 2006, the Government of Pakistan began and completed a registration process of all Afghans living in their country. The interior ministry of Pakistan has issued them PoR (Proof of registration) cards to determine the exact number of such refugees. The total number of registered Afghans were reported at 2.15 million in February 2007.[8] In or about the same time, 920,000 were remaining in Iran.[9] In October 2007, Afghanistan's parliament, "in an open letter", urged the government of Iran to halt deportation of Afghan refugees until the winter ends.[10]

More than 350,000 refugees were repatriated from Pakistan in 2007, which left the remaining ones in that country at about 2 million at that time.[11] The repatriation process took place between March and October of that year, with each person receiving a travel package of about 100 US dollars. Approximately 80% of the refugees were those living in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), 13% were from Balochistan, 3% from Sindh, and the remaining 4% from Punjab and Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad. The main provinces to where they returned in Afghanistan were Nangarhar (57% returnees), Laghman (6.5%), Kabul (6%), Kandahar (4.4%), Kunduz and Ghazni (3.7% each). In 2006, Kabul was the top province for returnees, followed by Nangarhar, Kunduz, Logar and Paktia.[12]

In January 2008, Iran's government passed a tougher law on Afghan refugees living in their country in which the unregistered Afghans could face arrest and detention for up to five years. An official at Iran's Interior Ministry said Iranian officials now have legal authority to begin moving unregistered refugees into detention camps with prison-like conditions.[13][14]

Afghan boys in Isfahan, Iran.

As of March 2009, some 1.7 million registered Afghan nationals still remain in Pakistan. They are allowed to work and attend schools in the country until the end of 2012.[15] The majority of them live in rural areas around the Durand Line region with small communities in cities such as Peshawar, Quetta, and Karachi. According to the UNHCR and the local law enforcement agency, about 50,000 Afghan refugees live in Karachi.[16]

Sindh is home to some 50,000 Afghan refugees and most of them are staying in Karachi.[16]

— spokesman for the UNHCR

The police can move only against unregistered Afghans, whose number is very small in Karachi.[16]

— a senior police official in Karachi

A total of 935,600 refugees and 2,000 asylum seeking Afghans live in Iran, according to the UNHCR.[17] Some 2,500 Afghan refugees are also found in Russia[18] and a tiny undisclosed number in Central Asian states of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Because Afghanistan is not ready to accept so many returnees at this point, the UNHCR is slowly shifting small numbers of refugees for resettlement in third countries, mainly in the European Union, North America, and Australia.[19]

It is believed that each family returning to Afghanistan, on production of repatriation documents issued by the UNHCR, is supposedly provided free plot of land by the Government of Afghanistan to build a new home.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Pakistan Restricts Afghan Refugees by Donatella Lorch for the New York Times. November 16, 1988.
  2. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47bc36204.html
  3. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/487390023.cms
  4. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/441190254.html
  5. ^ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/56e2b1010a330a11d2d7c10f8619804d.htm
  6. ^ Pashtuns of Afghanistan
  7. ^ Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN), UNHCR hails Pakistan as an important partner (Nov. 3, 2007)
  8. ^ Government of Pakistan - National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA), NADRA Has Registered 2.15 Million Afghan Refugees, February 15, 2007.
  9. ^ UNHCR, October 10, 2006, Tripartite meeting on returns to Afghanistan
  10. ^ Iran urged to halt refugee return. - BBC News, 11 October 2007
  11. ^ UNHCR, November 2, 2007, Over 350,000 Afghans repatriate from Pakistan before winter
  12. ^ UNHCR, November 2, 2007, Afghanistan: Winter break for voluntary returns from Pakistan
  13. ^ Voice of America, Iran Warns Unregistered Afghan Refugees of Detention Camps
  14. ^ BBC News, Iran urged to halt refugee return
  15. ^ UNHCR and Pakistan sign new agreement on stay of Afghan refugees, March 13, 2009.
  16. ^ a b c KARACHI: UN body, police baffled by minister’s threat against Afghan refugees, Dawn. February 10, 2009.
  17. ^ 2010 UNHCR country operations profile - Islamic Republic of Iran
  18. ^ 2010 UNHCR country operations profile - Russian Federation
  19. ^ 2010 Regional Operations Profile - Central Asia
  20. ^ PAN, Returnees to be allotted plots: Helmand governor (Nov. 4, 2007)

External links

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