Leaving hundreds of refugees, many sheltering in the open, exposed to severe cold and hardship
Heavy rain and strong winds batter the city, tearing apart walls and exposing structural vulnerabilities. Photo: Online
SHELTER:
The repatriation of Afghan refugees to their homeland continues at a strong pace, with more than 10,000 already returning to Afghanistan. Several thousand have arrived at the holding camp set up in Landi Kotal after crossing back, while a large number from various districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab are also reaching the facility for entry, registration and repatriation formalities.
However, the process has been hampered by a lack of basic facilities, insufficient staff and technical problems, raising concerns from both the refugees and local residents.
Heavy rainfall in the area over the past 24 hours has further aggravated the difficulties for those staying in the camp. The downpour not only disrupted repatriation activities, but also left hundreds of refugees, many sheltering in the open, exposed to severe cold and deprivation. In a display of traditional Pashtun hospitality, the locals of Landi Kotal provided shelter in their hujras (guest rooms) to several affected families and sheltered them from the rain. Nevertheless, many other families remained in open fields, deprived of basic amenities.
Local welfare organizations and social activists played a commendable role by distributing food, water and warm items in the camp and along approach routes to mitigate the impact of rain and cold. Community leaders have praised this spirit of humanitarian support, while stressing the need for more organized and sustained relief efforts.
Delays in the immigration and registration process have proven to be a major bottleneck. Afghan refugees and local elders in Landi Kotal have demanded an increase in immigration staff to speed up registration. They noted that in the past, processing was also carried out at the Torkham border, which helped spread the load. Now, with all activities centralized in the Landi Kotal holding camp, overcrowding has intensified.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has set up 10 windows at the camp, but only two are dedicated to manifesto preparation. These handle the complete documentation, including fingerprints and photographs, for children over 10, leading to long queues and hour-long waiting times for many refugees. Officials have acknowledged that increasing the number of windows could speed up the process.
NADRA officials have pointed to additional challenges, including difficulty in getting fingerprints due to henna on Afghan women’s hands and rough skin on men’s hands, which slows down biometric verification. Weak internet connection has further hampered data transmission, resulting in several delays in registration.
The Torkham border crossing is currently only open for the return of Afghan refugees, while normal pedestrian movement and commercial activities remain fully suspended. Other crossings along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are also closed to trade, severely affecting the local economy. Traders, transporters, hoteliers, customs clearance agents and daily wage workers in Landi Kotal have urged the government to reopen the border for commercial activities as soon as possible to restore livelihoods of thousands of people.
Local elders warned that the extended border closure has significantly increased unemployment and almost stopped business in the area. They warned that failure to improve the situation would soon lead to greater economic hardship for the local population.
On the instructions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, his elder brother Naveed Afridi visited the holding camp of the Afghan refugees in Landi Kotal. He was accompanied by officials of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the Khyber district administration. During the visit, the team reviewed the facilities in the camp, the problems faced by refugees and the overall administrative arrangements.
Announcing immediate relief measures, Naveed Afridi stated that 70 tents would initially be installed along with three large community tents to meet the collective needs. He led the establishment of a general medical camp to provide quick health care to the sick. Instructions were also issued to ensure a stable supply of food.
On special orders from Prime Minister Afridi, tents and food supplies have already been delivered to the camp and distributed among the Afghan refugees. Officials said complaints regarding NADRA have been taken seriously, with concerned departments directed to address the issues promptly.
