KARACHI: More than 68,000 Afghan refugees in Sindh started receiving their renewed Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, valid until December 31, 2015, with the launch of the registration renewal process on Wednesday.

Around 95 per cent of the total registered refugees in Sindh, reside in Karachi, according to a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statement.

The government in collaboration UN Refugee Agency launched the process following the federal government decision to extend their stay till December 2015, said an official.

“The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency launched the countywide project under which 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees will get their PoR cards. The renewed PoR cards will be issued through 34 PoR card renewal centres across Pakistan,” the UN Refugee Agency stated.

The launching ceremony was held at the PoR Cards Renewal Centre at the Afghan Refugee Repatriation Cell. The event was attended among others by Sindh Additional Chief Secretary (home) Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, Karachi commissioner Shoaib Ahmad, Commissioner and Project Director of Afghan Refugees Repatriation Cell, Sindh, Ghazanfar Ali Agha, and head of UNHCR field office in Karachi Younas Sahibzada.

The existing cards held by Afghan refugees expired in December 2012, said the statement, adding that in July 2013, the federal cabinet approved the extension of the Tripartite Commission Agreement governing the voluntary return of Afghans and the validity of the PoR cards until the end of 2015.

“The renewal process will be carried out in two phases; during the first phase from February until the end of June 2014, all PoR cards that expired in December 2012 will be replaced by new PoR cards.

“In the second phase from July until the end of 2014, Nadra will register and issue individual PoR cards to some 150,000 children born to registered parents in the past five years, and more than 330,000 Afghan children below the age of 18 years will receive birth certificates.”

While addressing the launch, the commissioner and project direct of Afghan Refugees Repatriation Cell in Sindh said the registered Afghan refugees could stay in Pakistan with the issuance of these renewed cards.

The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions along with the UNHCR was taking all-out measures and steps to uplift the livelihood of the Afghan refugees and IDPs in Pakistan,” he stated.

Mr Sahibzada, head of UNHCR field office in Karachi, appreciated the government efforts and cooperation in renewing the PoR cards to Afghan refugees.

“With the issuance of renewed PoR cards, the registered refugees will also be able to earn livelihood for their families in a more respectable manner. The renewed PoR cards will help its holders to move freely inside Pakistan,” he said.Since 2002 more than 3.8 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan under the largest facilitated voluntary return programme.