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STORY: PAKISTAN / AFGHAN REFUGEES
TRT: 3.45
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: PASHTO / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 22 NOVEMBER 2012, CHAMKANI, PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN
1. Wide shot, Afghan refugees waiting
2. Med shot, Afghan woman waiting with their children
3. Wide shot, trucks waiting for departure
4. Various shots, Afghan refugees waiting
5. Various shots, Wali Khan waiting
6. Wide shot, Wali Khan walking
7. Various shots, Wali Khan at the Pakistan Voluntary Repatriation Centres
8. Wide shot, transportation for repatriate
9. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wali Khan, Afghan Refugee:
“Afghans are the people who will never choose to live in foreign cities if there is peace in their own country. To some extent peace has returned.”
10. Med shot, Sher Kahn waiting with his son
11. Close up, Sher Khan's son
12. Various shots, Sher Khan examining for registration
13. Various shots, Sher Khan moving his belongings
14. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Sher Khan, Afghan Refugee
“We are going back. Everything is alright. We are going to our own soil, our autonomous land. We have a piece of land there. We were born here. I am 25 years old. My children were born here. We are sad, as is natural, but we have to go to our own home, our own country."
15. Med shot, Afghan refugees sitting under the tree
16. Wide shot, Afghan refugees moving their belongings
17. Various shots, Afghan refugees waiting
18. Various shots, Afghan refugees receiving their supplies
19. Close up, registering process
20. Various shots, Afghan refugees moving their belongings
21. Wide shot, trucks waiting for departure
22. Wide shot, Afghan refugees waiting
23. Close up, cash grant
24. Wide shot, Afghan woman preparing for departure
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Warsame, UNHCR Pakistan:
“UNHCR anticipates an increased number of voluntary return during the winter months and of course in the summer next year.”
26. Various shots, Afghan repatriates preparing for departure
27. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wali Khan, Afghan Refugee:
“My beard turned grey. We couldn’t do anything. We spent our lives doing hard labour. Our children did not get education. If they get education, they would not get employment. A refugee cannot get any job. In their own country, they (refugees) can get employment opportunities.”
28. Various shots, Afghan repatriates preparing for the departure
Since the beginning of November, UNHCR in Pakistan has been offering an enhanced return package to every registered refugee choosing to go back to Afghanistan.
Wali Khan has spent 32 years in Pakistan nurturing the hope that peace would one day return to his war-ravaged country.
Now finally, he sees some improvement in Afghanistan and the timing seems right.
With the help of UNHCR’s Voluntary Repatriation Centre, Wali Khan and his family of ten are heading home.
SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wali Khan, Afghan Refugee:
“Afghans are the people who will never choose to live in foreign cities if there is peace in their own country. To some extent peace has returned.”
Sher Khan is a young refugee born in Pakistan. He is going to the north-eastern Kunar province in Afghanistan with his wife and three children.
Born and raised in Pakistan, Sher Khan worked as a bread-baker. He too is opting to return to Afghanistan.
SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Sher Khan, Afghan Refugee
“We are going back. Everything is alright. We are going to our own soil, our autonomous land. We have a piece of land there. We were born here. I am 25 years old. My children were born here. We are sad, as is natural, but we have to go to our own home, our own country."
Pakistan is one of the largest refugee hosting countries in the world.
1.66 million refugees live here. Refugees UNHCR would like to help return home.
The new assistance packages includes the provision of household supplies such as sleeping mats, blankets, and winter clothes.
Refugee families are also offered some transport assistance from the Pakistan Voluntary Repatriation Centres.
The assistance package comes as an addition to the USD 150 cash grant provided to returning families.
SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Warsame, UNHCR Pakistan:
“UNHCR anticipates an increase number of voluntary return during the winter months and of course in the summer next year.”
Wali Khan believes that his children, as refugees in Pakistan, could not acquire education or decent work opportunities.
SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wali Khan, Afghan Refugee:
“My beard turned grey. We couldn’t do anything. We spent our lives doing hard labour. Our children did not get education. If they get education, they would not get employment. A refugee cannot get any job. In their own country, they can get employment opportunities.”
Afghan refugees like all refugees around the world must choose to repatriate voluntarily.
This happens when they feel it is safe to go back and rebuild their lives in their homeland.
Since 2002, UNHCR has facilitated the return of 3.8 million registered Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
