Exploring Socio-Economic Challenges In The Repatriation Of Afghan Refugees From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kp), Pakistan

Abstract

Over the past few decades, Pakistan has remained home to Afghan refugees due to the
protracted wars caused either by the Superpowers’ military interventions or internal
conflicts. Even though Pakistan Pakistan’s has generously Afghanistan has been host to a
protracted conflict and political instability since the last three decades. Pakistan, owing to
the increasing political turmoil, economic burden and poor law and order situation warrant
the return of huge bulk of refugees. The present research has identified the factors or
constraints in the orderly repatriation of Afghan refugees both in home and host country.
This research has utilized semi-structured interview guide to collect primary data. The qualitative research and relevant data was collected in the three cities of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa namely; Abbottabad, Mingora, and Peshawar from Afghan Refugees and host
community. Thus, 45 respondents were interviewed in these three cities based on snowball
sampling technique including five officials of Commissionerate for Afghan. The responses of
the Afghan Refugees revealed that majority of refugees were reluctant to return to their
country of origin due to the prevailing insecurity and deteriorating socio-economic
conditions. It is derived from the analysis of the data that the creation of employment
opportunities, provision of basic health and education and the provision of skill development
opportunities in Afghanistan can be the major factors to attract the refugees back to
Afghanistan. It shows that the absence of these socio-economic opportunities in the home
country has significantly affected the repatriation process of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
Moreover, it was found that most refugees urged the government of Pakistan to cease the
forceful return of Afghans until the socio-economic conditions in Afghanistan comes to
normalcy. Furthermore, for repatriation to be successful, the government of Afghanistan,
Pakistan as well as the UNHCR should come up with a holistic strategy to facilitate the
dignified return of Afghan refugees to their home country.