Necessary facilities considered in all refugee townships: Haqqani

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Acting Refugees and Repatriates Affairs Minister Khalil Rahman Haqqani said all refugee townships across the country will have necessary facilities apart from shelter, health and education.

Haqqani, who inaugurated a clinic for refugees in Rabat area of ​​Gardez, the capital of southeastern Paktia province, said all necessary facilities at refugee townships nationwide were being considered.

The acting minister said the situation of returning refugees had been assessed in all cities and they would be provided shelter first.

Haqqani said they had asked the representatives of Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in frequent meetings to solve the problems of refugees in their countries.

Addressing the ceremony, Paktia Public Health director Maulvi Khair Mohammad Mansoor said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had funded the clinic’s construction that would consume 375,000 dollars and would be completed within six months.

On the other hand, area residents expressed their pleasure the establishment of the clinic in the Rabat refugee township.

Noor Khan, a resident of Rabat area, told Pajhwok families living in the township struggled with problems in the areas of education, drinking water and roads besides health.

Hundreds of families who recently returned from Pakistan have been living in the township along with 500 internally displaced families.

According to the Ministry of Refugees, one million refugees returned from Iran in the past one year and about 400,000 from Pakistan in the past four months.

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