Dawood Ibrahim
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- May 25, 2016
- Messages
- 3,475
- Reaction score
- 3
- Country
- Location
PESHAWAR: Scores of Afghan families have left for their homeland while thousands are disposing of properties and winding up businesses to return to Afghanistan before they are held in the ongoing crackdown for illegally residing as foreigners.
The crackdown has been accelerated during the last couple of months with the police directing the elected representatives to make announcement on loudspeakers that no illegally residing Afghans should be given houses on rent.
The announcements were made in many areas, forcing a large number of Afghan families to return home. The police have also told the elected representatives to keep an eye on those leaving as the criminal elements may exploit the situation to create a law and order issue.
A large number of those who have never been to Afghanistan are still hoping that they would be allowed to live in Pakistan where they were born and raised. They are not happy to return to their war-hit country and are concerned about the level of facilities of education, health, electricity, potable water and communication there.
“I would be a refugee now if I returned to Afghanistan as I was born here, spent my whole life in Pakistan, got married and have kids. I don’t have any property or house in Afghanistan and if forced to go back, I will have to start from zero. No one can understand the pain of tens of thousands like me,” said Nizar, 30, who has been running a shop in a suburban area of Peshawar.
Many Afghans have said the prices of properties in Jalalabad and other parts of Afghanistan have shot up after the recent developments concerning the refugees in Pakistan. On the other hand, prices and rents of properties in Peshawar are going down.
“In case I was not allowed to stay in Pakistan despite my huge investment, I would prefer to move to Dubai instead of Afghanistan,” said Aziz Khan, a trader who has business in Peshawar.
Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mohammad Fahim Wali, told The News that according to the notifications issued by the federal government on different occasions in line with its policy, those who have come to Pakistan before 1970s have been given the right to claim citizenship.
“In particular, those belonging to the tribes of Ahmedzais, Yasinzais, Miankhels and Sulemankhels can claim citizenship of Pakistan,” he argued. Around 10,000 illegally residing Afghans have been rounded up during snap checking, search and strike operations and other actions by the police during the current year in Peshawar alone. They are charged under the 14-Foreigners Act leading to their deportation via Torkham.
The action against Afghan refugees who neither obtained the proof of registration (PoR) card nor possessed valid travel documents and visa to justify their stay in Pakistan was expedited since early last year under the National Action Plan.
According to senior officers, the cops have been strictly directed not to harass those who have PoR cards or valid travel documents. However, there have been complaints that those having valid documents or PoR cards were rounded up and charged by the police only to show their efficiency.The police recently claimed that the crime rate has gone down by 42 percent since the action against illegally residing Afghans was accelerated.
The crackdown has been accelerated during the last couple of months with the police directing the elected representatives to make announcement on loudspeakers that no illegally residing Afghans should be given houses on rent.
The announcements were made in many areas, forcing a large number of Afghan families to return home. The police have also told the elected representatives to keep an eye on those leaving as the criminal elements may exploit the situation to create a law and order issue.
A large number of those who have never been to Afghanistan are still hoping that they would be allowed to live in Pakistan where they were born and raised. They are not happy to return to their war-hit country and are concerned about the level of facilities of education, health, electricity, potable water and communication there.
“I would be a refugee now if I returned to Afghanistan as I was born here, spent my whole life in Pakistan, got married and have kids. I don’t have any property or house in Afghanistan and if forced to go back, I will have to start from zero. No one can understand the pain of tens of thousands like me,” said Nizar, 30, who has been running a shop in a suburban area of Peshawar.
Many Afghans have said the prices of properties in Jalalabad and other parts of Afghanistan have shot up after the recent developments concerning the refugees in Pakistan. On the other hand, prices and rents of properties in Peshawar are going down.
“In case I was not allowed to stay in Pakistan despite my huge investment, I would prefer to move to Dubai instead of Afghanistan,” said Aziz Khan, a trader who has business in Peshawar.
Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mohammad Fahim Wali, told The News that according to the notifications issued by the federal government on different occasions in line with its policy, those who have come to Pakistan before 1970s have been given the right to claim citizenship.
“In particular, those belonging to the tribes of Ahmedzais, Yasinzais, Miankhels and Sulemankhels can claim citizenship of Pakistan,” he argued. Around 10,000 illegally residing Afghans have been rounded up during snap checking, search and strike operations and other actions by the police during the current year in Peshawar alone. They are charged under the 14-Foreigners Act leading to their deportation via Torkham.
The action against Afghan refugees who neither obtained the proof of registration (PoR) card nor possessed valid travel documents and visa to justify their stay in Pakistan was expedited since early last year under the National Action Plan.
According to senior officers, the cops have been strictly directed not to harass those who have PoR cards or valid travel documents. However, there have been complaints that those having valid documents or PoR cards were rounded up and charged by the police only to show their efficiency.The police recently claimed that the crime rate has gone down by 42 percent since the action against illegally residing Afghans was accelerated.
