Feature: Afghan refugees in Pakistan lose hope of returning to peaceful homeland

Wearing greasy clothes full of sweat, under scorching sunshine, pushing a handcart in an auto spare parts market in Pakistan's garrison city of Rawalpindi, 61- year-old Ajjab Khan has almost lost hope to return to his hometown in Afghanistan due to unending unrest there.

"There is nothing for me, no work to do, everything had turned into ash. I have decided not to put my family into sufferings once again. I think I shall not be able to go back to my home town in my life," Ajjab told Xinhua on Saturday.

Ajjab has been doing odd jobs since he migrated to Pakistan in 1980 with his wife and two children after Soviet war started in Afghanistan.

Talking about miseries he faced in his life, Ajjab said, "We have no sense of home, no security of permanent residence, we have no recognition in Pakistan, we are only refugees, nothing else."

Ajjab is one of the 1.6 million registered refugees living in camps and urban centers across Pakistan for over 30 years.

A big number of Afghan people rushed to neighboring Pakistan after the Soviet Union invasion in late 1970s and later when U.S.- led NATO forces attacked Afghanistan in 2001.

Pakistan is continuously hosting more refugees than any other nation.

According to a report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has helped more than 3.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan to return home since 2002.

The World Refugees day was observed in Pakistan on Saturday as an attempt to bring attention to the troubles of refugees and enhance the efforts to make their life better.

A majority of Afghan refugees are settled in different parts of Pakistan, particularly in northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and south-western province of Balochistan and also in capital Islamabad.

The UNHCR representative in Pakistan, Fabio Varoli, said, "It is a time for the world community to share additional burden to help Pakistan to overcome the issue of 1.6 million refugees living across the country."

Commending Pakistan's response for hosting millions of refugees for over 30 years, Varoli said, "Credit goes to Pakistan who, despite all difficulties and financial crunch, strove hard to provide the basic facilities to the millions of refugees."

"The UNHCR in collaboration with Pakistan repatriated about 3.8 million Afghans to their native country," said Varoli, adding that the uncertainty, poor law and order and lack of basic amenities in Afghanistan have slowed down the process of repatriation.

He said the UNHCR has extended many requests to the international community and humanitarian organizations to work for the improvement of health, education, and other sectors in Afghanistan for the safe return of Afghan refugees.

Ameer Khan, 32, another Afghan who was born in a refugee camp near capital Islamabad, has no plan to go back because he think he has settled in Pakistan despite many problems and shortcomings.

"No, I have never thought to go back to Afghanistan. I have spent my whole life here in Pakistan, I feel myself as a Pakistani, but I have no Pakistani card. I am earning to feed my family, but if I go to Afghanistan, I fear I shall not have any job," said Ameer.

Ameer is now working as a trash collector in different residential areas of Rawalpindi.

"I collect trash from different houses with my donkey cart and take 120 rupees (1.20 U.S. dollars) per month from each house. I am very happy with my life here," said Ameer.

Since the launch of the extensive military operation "Zarb-e- Azb" against militants in northwest Pakistan in June last year, a strict action has also been triggered against illegal Afghan refugees because Afghan refugees were found involved in terrorist attacks.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has arrested thousands of Afghan refugees and repatriated them to Afghanistan during last one year.

Pakistan on Friday announced to start a countrywide campaign starting July 25 for the registration of over one million Afghans living illegally in Pakistan. At least 21 registration centers will be set up across Pakistan and the exercise will be completed by January 2016.

Ajjab considers wars in Afghanistan as the basic culprit behind sufferings in his and his family's lives. "First Russian war, then civil war and now American war ruined the lives of millions of Afghans. War should be ended and American should go back and let us live peacefully."

Ajjab, who has five children and 14 grandchildren, do not see his return to Afghanistan in near future, but his heart says " there would be a time when my children or grandchildren will go back to their original country for a peaceful life." Endi