Afghan refugees back from Pakistan to bleak future

By Jonathon Burch

CHAMTALA, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Born in a refugee camp in Pakistan, Zarmat had never seen his homeland until he moved his family to Afghanistan six months ago. Home is now a crude tent on a barren field not far from the border.

His is one of nearly 4,000 returning refugee families which have settled at Chamtala, a dusty expanse outside the eastern city of Jalalabad, after the Pakistani government told them it was time to go.

"We have nothing. There is nothing here," says Zarmat pointing to four plastic covered mud shelters he and his family live in.

When he can, Zarmat works as a labourer, barely earning enough money to support his large family. But he insists he would rather be here than back in Pakistan.

"Life was not good. They started arresting people and told us we had to leave," said Zarmat, 23, who has a bushy beard and was wearing a white cap.

"This is my country. I am happy to be back but there is nothing to do."

Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, is grappling with an intensified Taliban insurgency and huge levels of unemployment, seven years after a U.S.-led operation ousted the hardline Taliban.

Over the past few years Pakistan, citing security reasons, has started closing refugee camps. This year the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has helped more than 274,000 people return to Afghanistan from Pakistan.