Pakistan today extended by three months the deadline for repatriation of Afghan refugees, giving them a temporary relief amid violence in war-torn Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Nasir-ul-Mulk chaired the meeting of the Cabinet at the Prime Minister's House here.
The meeting discussed the issue of extension in stay of the Afghan Refugees, according to an official statement.
"It was decided to grant an interim extension of three months to the registered refugees present in the country," it said.
The deadline was set to expiry on June 30 (today).
The Cabinet also decided that the issue of refuges will be placed before the incoming elected government after July 25 elections.
About 1.5 million registered and almost similar number of unregistered Afghans have been living in Pakistan for decades.
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Pakistan, which considers their camps terrorists' hideouts, has been pushing for their earliest but safe return to Afghanistan.
The security situation in Afghanistan, where US-led coalition forces and the Afghan army continue to battle the Afghan Taliban for control of areas of the country, has been deteriorating in recent months.
Afghanistan and the US have blamed Pakistan for allegedly providing safe havens to elements of the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani terror Network.
Pakistan denies the charge, alleging that it is Afghan forces that offer sanctuary to elements of the Pakistani Taliban.