Returnees seek greater government support as temperature declines

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Afghan families in eastern Nangarhar province who had recently returned from Pakistan urged government support in the areas of employment and provision of shelters.

They said cold weather, non-availability of shelters, diseases and other problems made living difficult for them.

Zargai, who returned to the country after 33 years of migration, told Pajhwok Afghan News he returned to the county two months ago and was unable to find work for himself. He lived in the Fathabad area of Surkhroad district.

“There is no work since we arrived here, we search and thing about work but there is no opportunity,” he said.

Abdullah, is another returnee, living in his father-in-law house in Jalalabad City. He said two months earlier he returned to the country but there is no work and he cannot find a house on rent.

“It is winter, diseases are spreading, I bring cannot provide treatment for one child when another become sick,” he said.

Zahoor, another returnee living in the Chamtali locality of Khogyano district, said: “We don’t have house and there is no work, I live in another persons’ house, it is winter diseases spreading quickly we need support and assistance.”

Baz Mohammad Abdul Rahman, head of the Refugee and Repatriation Department, said 65,000 families have returned from Pakistan so far and most of them live in Nangarhar.

He said refugees from 17 provinces had resided in Jalalabad and districts.

“We have planned that these families will go to their own places, NGOs will provide them support and we are trying to address their problems,” he said.

Refugee and Repatriation Minister Khalil Rahman Haqqani during his trip to Nangarhar province said that his ministry and a joint Commission was working to address refugee problems and their shelter issue.

“We asked UNHCR and IOM to support government in the building of 500,000 homes, they also pledged and these homes will be built for all refugees,” he said.

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