500 needy families receive winter aid in Khost

KHOST CITY (PAN): Nearly 500 deserving and repatriating families received food and warm clothing in aid in southeastern Khost province, an official said Thursday.

Provincial Refugee and Repatriate Director Eng. Swat Gul told Pajhwok Afghan News the aid had been provided jointly by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution to 500 families selected through a survey.

Gul said each family received 150 kilograms of wheat, 10 kg of cooking oil, seven kg of pulses, a carton of biscuits, carpet and jackets.

He acknowledged the aid was not enough to resolve all problems facing the returning families.

One of the beneficiaries, Gulbaz, who has newly returned Pakistan, said he was happy to receive the assistance.

He said the returning families were in dire need of permanent shelters.

According to the Khost Refugee and Repatriate Department, as many as 14,000 families have returned to Khost from Pakistan

The department has earlier assisted 28,000 families with winter aid in the province.

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