Pakistan on Tuesday announced to settle the Afghan refugees in special camps set up along the border with Afghanistan. Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhary, addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, said that Pakistan was expecting an influx of Afghan refugees amidst the current unrest.

"We are trying our best to ensure that matters in Afghanistan are resolved peacefully. But, if the situation deteriorates in Afghanistan, then Pakistan would have to bear the burden and we are working on it," he said. The minister said that efforts will be made to build camps along the border to keep the displaced Afghans from entering into Pakistan.

The statement came as chaos loomed in Afghanistan due to fighting between the Taliban and government forces after the withdrawal of international troops from the war-torn country. Nearly 3-million Afghan refugees have been living in Pakistan, almost half of them illegally. Pakistan has been pushing to send them back but it may face fresh waves of refugees if Afghanistan plunged into civil war.

Chaudhry also talked about the unrest in the Balochistan province, saying that the government was working to hold talks with the aggrieved people but no talks would be held with those having links with those involved in terrorism. "Of course, the method to approach them would be different (to those involved in terrorism), but soon you will see that Balochistan would become the hub of peace," he said.