Pakistan mulls extending deadline for refugees’ repatriation

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan said on Thursday it had stepped up security at the Torkham border with Afghanistan to prevent the infiltration of insurgents.

The Foreign Office spokesman said: “Effective border management is part of counter-terrorism efforts, which is in the interests of both countries because this is a common conce.”

Nafees Zakaria told a weekly media briefing in Islamabad that Pakistan was considering the Afghan govement’s request to extend a June 30 deadline for deporting refugees.

He confirmed the Ashraf Ghani administration had requested an extension in deadline that Pakistan has set to send all refugees back to their country. He said the request was under consideration.

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