NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT
PRESS RELEASE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON STATES AND
FRONTIER REGIONS (SAFRON)
Islamabad; August 17 th , 2022: The National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions
(SAFRON) met today at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Room of Ministry of SAFRON, S-Block, Pak-Secretariat,
Islamabad under the Chairmanship of Muhammad Jamal ud Din, MNA.
2. The Secretary, Ministry of SAFRON informed that the said Ministry was established on 3 rd July, 1948 on
the specific instructions of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. After merger of FATA in the Province of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, the current major functions of the Ministry of SAFRON are as under:-
i) Matters relating to Afghan Refugees in Pakistan.
ii) Affairs of the former acceding States.
3. The Secretary, Ministry of SAFRON further informed that after the 25 th amendment regarding merger of
FATA the Ministry of SAFRON has no executive or implementation role in matters of Merged Districts any more.
4. The Secretary while giving briefing regarding Afghan Refugees in Pakistan, informed that the Subject of
‘Afghan Refugees’ has been assigned to the Ministry of SAFRON under the Rules of Business 1973 and is being
dealt in coordination with UNHCR, concerned Federal Ministries and Provincial Departments. He further clarified
that unregistered Afghan and asylum seekers are not given the status as refugees and as such are handled by the
Ministry of Interior. The issue of Afghan nationals who are on protest in Islamabad before the Islamabad Press Club
for few months are also came under discussion. It was informed that the Afghan Nationals come to Pakistan on Visa
and they are demanding from the west countries to fulfill their commitments regarding grant of VISA and their
rehabilitation and settlement in their countries. Whereupon the Committee recommended that the Secretaries
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and M/O Interior will be invited in the next meeting to brief the Committee on the
Afghan Nationals issue and progress made so far with the concerned embassies in this regard.
5. The Acting Chief Commissioner, Afghan Refugees also briefed the Committee about the mandate and
functions of the Chief Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and Provincial Commissionerates at the provincial
Headquarters in detail.
6. The Committee discussed the issue raised by Mr. Mohsin Dawar, MNA on a point of order in the House on
16 th May, 2022 regarding disbursement of the funds to the traders/shopkeepers in Miran Shah, North Waziristan,
who suffered losses in war against terrorism and deferred the issue for next meeting with the direction that Deputy
Commissioner District North Waziristan will be invited to brief the Committee on the said issue.
7. The meeting was attended by MNAs: Mr. Ibadullah Khan, Chaudry Muhammad Ashraf, Mr. Naveed
Ameer Jeeva, Ms. Nuzhat Pathan MNAs and Mr. Mohsin Dawar MNA/Mover and Officers/Officials of the Ministry
and its attached Departments.
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