I am happy to leave this horrible place

Afghan refugee Garan Bibi

The camp, some 40 kilometres from the border city of Peshawar, at one time housed about 80,000 people living in basic shelters constructed out of plastic sheeting or canvas.

In the summer it was extremely hot and during the winter months, it used to suffer flooding and freezing temperatures.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, described the camp as "tragic and visible evidence of the miserable plight of Afghans fleeing decades of war, drought and deprivation".

Struggle to survive

Refugees began arriving there towards the end of 2000, escaping poverty, drought and fighting in Afghanistan.

Families lived in wretched conditions

Aid workers struggled to provide minimum services and an unknown number of refugees died there.

In a statement issued in Geneva, Mr Lubbers said that by emptying the camp, "we are demonstrating the international community's renewed commitment to help end the suffering of the Afghan people and to support host nations like Pakistan".

The Pakistani Government finally agreed last year to allow the refugees to be relocated to new camps near the border with Afghanistan - after months of lobbying by the UN and aid agencies.

Pakistan hosts more than two million Afghan refugees and has repeatedly said it cannot afford to take any more in.