Proof of Registration (PoR) Cards are important identity documents that provide temporary legal stay and freedom of movement in Pakistan for the 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees in the country. The validity of PoR cards was extended until 30 June 2020 through an official Government notification, rather than a comprehensive renewal exercise, as had been conducted in 2010 (a “completed verification exercise”) and in 2014 (a “renewal exercise”). In 2020, however, UNHCR began planning and preparations for a documentation renewal and information verification exercise. This work included budget preparation, site preparations, software development, staff recruitment and training.
By the end of 2020, 1,435,445 Afghan refugees had a valid PoR card. During the reporting period, UNHCR continued prioritizing on-going registration services to Afghan refugees – PoR card holders – either at the Proof of Card Modification (PCM) centres located in Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Karachi or through the deployment of the Mobile Registration Van (MRV) at remote areas across the country. The PCM centres support the modification/replacement of existing cards, registration of children up to age five, issuance of birth certificates and provision of PoR cards to already registered children who have reached five years of age and were entitled to their own cards.
In 2020, a slight decrease (7% in 2020 vs 2019) of applicants for PCM centre services was observed and that has been largely attributed to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country and the temporary suspension of PCM activities for almost 6 months due to the pandemic.
In 2020, a total of 51,029 applicants were processed at PCMs and MRVs (male 50%, female 50%) which shows a 78% achievement of the overall target (65,500). During the year, 20,500 children were registered; only 19,826 PoR cards were issued for children reaching five years of age and 7,454 lost or stolen cards were replaced. Only 8 deaths were recorded/ registered in the ANR database during 2020.
During 2020, in terms of UNHCR mandate refugees, 1,372 individuals have been issued (out of that 1,323 renewed) with a UNHCR refugee identity card, and 5,239 with asylum-seeker certificates (out of that, 4,043 renewed).