Afghan refugees stranded in horrific conditions

Urgent action is needed to help 60,000 Afghan refugees stranded in a ‘transit camp’ on the Pakistan border, according to an international aid agency.

Jalozai was intended as a temporary home but many refugees have been trapped there for over a year with little food or shelter.

Shadow International’s Development Secretary Caroline Spellman visited the make-shift camp, where she said she was shocked by conditions.

Some of the people in the camp are forced to sleep beneath sacks because of lack of tents, according to Ms Spellman.

The Pakistani authorities fear improving conditions will only attract a fresh flood of refugees to the centre, currently controlled by just 14 police officers.

Food, tents and other supplies are only delivered intermittently and the camp is not prepared for winter.

Just 70 to 80 people are being moved out of the camp each week, according to Caroline Spellman who says that the people in the camp will die if they spend a second winter under sackcloth.