Prime Minister Imran Khan issued instructions to allow Afghan refugees to open their own bank accounts in Pakistan.
PM tweeted on Monday saying, this should have been done a long time ago.
Around three million Afghan refugees have been living in Pakistan. The Prime Minister said that only legally registered Afghan nationals are allowed to have their accounts in Pakistani banks.
Half of the Afghans are legally registered and half of them are considered illegal foreigners living in Pakistan
Imran Khan said that Afghans can participate in the formal economy of the country. Khan’s decision is considered a step forward to strengthening Pakistan’s economy.
Majority of Afghan refugees fled to Pakistan in 1980s after the Soviet invasion of their country — many of them came the civil war between the Pakistan-supported Taliban and the Iran-supported Norther Alliance led by Ahmad Shah and the current Chief Executive Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah.
Pakistan has been also working with UNHCR for the repatriation of Afghan refugees. However, most of them are not willing to go back to their home country because of the unrest and worst peace situation in the country.
Imran Khan has been surprising people across both Pakistan and Afghanistan by announcing such decisions for the betterment of Afghan refugees and Pak-Afghan relations.
Soon after winning the August 2018 general elections, Imran Khan vowed in his victory speech to open Pak Afghan border for public. He had also announced to give the registered Afghans Pakistani citizenship but still in vain.
