SHARP successfully convened a two-day consultative workshop with public prosecutors under the UNHCR Protection Project to bolster prosecutorial coordination and strengthen legal protections for displaced Afghan nationals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The sessions aimed to improve understanding of legal and protection frameworks that affect displaced populations and to promote rights-based access to justice across provincial institutions.
The workshop underscored the mandates of SHARP and UNHCR while reinforcing human rights and international protection principles relevant to displaced Afghans. Participants examined the application of the Foreigners Act and discussed prosecutorial duties to ensure that responses to displacement are informed by legal safeguards and respect for due process.
Inaugural remarks were delivered by Mr. Ibad ur Rehman, Director Monitoring Prosecution KP, who commended SHARP’s sustained efforts to advance human rights and refugee protections in Pakistan. His remarks set a collaborative tone for engaged discussion among prosecution authorities and protection actors present at the workshop.
Technical sessions were led by SHARP team members including Ms. Memoona Batool Khan, Project Director KP, and Mr. Manzoor Ali, Legal Manager KP, together with contributions from Mr. Sahibzada Younis of UNHCR, Mr. Jehanzeb Khan, Field Manager Haripur, and Mr. Asad Khan Afridi, Team Lead Peshawar. Resource person Prof. Nadeem Fareed provided expert guidance on international protection norms and their domestic implications.
Alongside clarifying legal obligations under the Foreigners Act, the workshop supported revision of an updated stakeholder directory to improve inter-agency communication and coordination. This practical tool is intended to help prosecutors and protection partners respond more effectively to the needs of displaced communities, accelerating referrals and legal assistance where required.
Addressing the closing ceremony, SHARP CEO Mr. Mudassar Javed emphasized the importance of sustained legal partnerships with prosecution authorities to uphold fair, rights-based protection and justice for displaced persons. He called for continued collaboration to translate workshop outcomes into stronger protection practice on the ground.
The consultative sessions concluded with a shared commitment to deepen prosecutorial coordination, expand legal support, and ensure displaced Afghans receive timely, informed access to justice. Attendance and support from key stakeholders including UNHCR Pakistan, IOM Pakistan, the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees KP, and diplomatic partners reinforced the collective responsibility to safeguard the rights of displaced populations in the province.
