Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled to neighbouring Pakistan.  Three decades of conflict including the rise of the Taliban and the American-led invasion in 2001 have meant millions remain unable to return home.

The International Rescue Committee has worked in Pakistan since 1980 providing vital services such as shelter, food, education, protection, healthcare, water and sanitation for refugees in camps and settlements across Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan, including the tribal areas.

When the South Asian earthquake struck in October 2005, the IRC responded immediately, sending emergency teams to provide immediate relief and healthcare to the worst-hit areas.

The IRC is now working with communities in Pakistan to support long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation while continuing to focus on improving the quality of life for Afghan refugees and their host communities and assisting sustainable repatriation to Afghanistan where possible.