Over 16,000 Afghans languish in jails in foreign countries

KABUL (Pajhwok): As many as 1.87 million Afghans returned to the country from Iran, Pakistan and other countries during the past one year, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said on Sunday.

In a program, Plan and Policy Director at MoRR, Maulvi Mahmood Alhaq Ahadi said about one million and 870,000 Afghans returned to the country from Iran, Pakistan and other countries last year.

He said 788,821 displaced and returning families were provided cash, food and non-food items by partner organizations.

He said currently more than 16,000 Afghans were imprisoned in some Arab and neighboring countries.

About 5,766 imprisoned Afghans were released from Pakistan and Turkey and 4,000 Afghan prisoners were extradited from Iran with efforts ongoing to rescue others.

According to Ahadi, about 96,293 returning families were safely shifted to their areas after receiving aid and each family was given 10,000afs last year.

A welcome center has set up and operated at Kabul Airport for forcibly returned refugees from Turkey and other European countries. About 13,374 people and 52 families who returned from EU countries were given 150 euros each person.

Ahadi explained MoRR had signed agreements with 93 domestic and foreign institutions in the past year in order to better access the situation of the displaced and returnees and to attract aid for them.

More than seven million US dollars were spent on shelters, vocational training, schools, and distribution of food and non-food items.

Professional deputy at MoRR Maulvi Abdul Rahman Rashid said currently seven million Afghans were living as refugees in different countries of the world and three million people were internally displaced.

MoRR spokesman Mufti Abdul Mutaleb Haqqani explained currently, 7,500 Afghans are imprisoned in Pakistan, 4,000 in Iran, 4,664 in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and other Arab countries, and 600 people have been released in the past two years.

MoRR says 952,589 Afghan refugees returned to the country from Iran, Pakistan and some other countries last year.

hz/ma