ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson in Pakistan, Dunya Aslam Khan, has said that 50,000 Afghan nationals willingly returned to their home country in August. She said that the process of Afghan refugees’ return to their home country began in July. At least 12, 900 Afghanis returned to their home country in July, while this number reached 50,000 in August, she said. The spokesperson, about 80,000 Afghanis returned to their country this year. Minister for State and Frontier Regions, Abdul Qadir Baloch, said that about 4,000 to 5,000 Afghan refugees cross over to Afghanistan. He said that the process of their return is going smoothly and all Afghans would have to leave by the next year. According to the minister, both the governments have agreed upon their return and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure their safe return to their homeland. The number of Afghan refugees returning their home country from Pakistan has considerably increased during the last two months, he added.
