AN ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING REPATRIATION OF AFGHAN REFUGEES FROM PAKISTAN

Ubaid ur Rehman; Syed Mudasser Abbas; Alamgeer Khan

Ubaid ur Rehman School of Social Sciences, The Royal Holloway University of London, UNITED KINGDOM
Syed Mudasser Abbas School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, CHINA
Alamgeer Khan Department of Rural Sociology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar

Keywords: Repatriation, Afghan refugees, Economic factors, Expatriation

Abstract

Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees for almost four decades. These refugees are a burden on resources of country, hence Pakistan introduced repatriation of refugees with assistance of humanitarian organizations, but desired success not yet achieved. This study focused on "An analysis of economic factors influencing repatriation of the Afghan refugees from Pakistan”, therefore, utilized cross-sectional design to measure association between economic factors and expatriation. Study applied quantitative survey method to collect data through questionnaire. The simple random technique used to approach samples in population. Variables measured by the items selected from four different instruments. Data were analyzed with regression using SmartPLS. The results explored that productivity, labour market integration and access to shelter as indicators of economic factors for Afghan refugees in Pakistan are significantly associated with expatriation in presence of the mediating variable (economic well-being). Hence, a pull force of economic factors in Pakistan attracts them to stay in host country and avoid repatriation to homeland.