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PESHAWAR/ QUETTA: As the voluntary repatriation of the illegal Afghan nationals continued on a third consecutive day after the expiry of the deadline, the government has opened six more holding areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate the repatriation.
On the other hand, Afghan consul general Gul Hassan called on Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai in Quetta, where the latter minced no words to refute the allegation levelled by Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob that Pakistan was sending Afghan refugees ‘forcibly’ and ‘insulting’ them.
“They are our brothers and how can we insult them,” he asserted later during a media talk, calling Mullah Yaqoob’s allegation ‘baseless’.
With the voluntary reparation at Pak-Afghan border crossing Torkham underway, over 12,689 illegal immigrants left for Afghanistan on Friday. A total of 160,638 Afghan nationals have so far returned to their native country from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while over 50,000 had been sent back via Chaman border in Balochistan during the last few days.
While talking to Dawn, a senior official said, “Any illegal immigrant in any area will be held at the holding area established within that locality and will be transported ahead for their repatriation.”
Prisoners released
Officials said that apart from those leaving for Afghanistan voluntarily, those jailed for petty crimes were also being released. They said a total of 146 prisoners, including 83 from Punjab and 63 from KP, were transported to the border crossing point. Besides, a child [daughter of a detainee] was also shifted to the border crossing point, they added.
They elaborated that the 83 illegal immigrants were from Jhelum, Rawalpindi and Attock. The officials said that six holding areas were established in Nowshera only and the provincial disaster management authority hired transport to shift them to the border crossing point.
Earlier on Thursday, the federal government eased the process of voluntary repatriation of undocumented, illegal immigrants when women and children, below the age of 14, were exempted from data entry at National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) counters set up at the border crossing points.
The decision was taken a day after officials expressed the apprehension that the situation could get out of control, as the authorities struggled to process the deportation of a large influx of illegal immigrants at the Torkham border.
“The interior ministry issued directions that female and children below the age of 14 will not be scanned for entry by Nadra. Only male adults would be scanned during the voluntary repatriation,” a senior official told Dawn.
Warning to police
On the other hand, Peshawar police warned their personnel that action would be taken if any of them was found involved in harassing registered Afghan refugees amid the voluntary repatriation of the illegal immigrants.
“You are ordered not to harass Afghan refugees carrying Afghan citizen cards and proof of registration cards or legal visas,” a statement issued by the police read, adding that anyone found violating the orders would have to “face departmental action”.
Chaman border
Meanwhile, Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai told the media that over the last few days, more than 50,000 illegal Afghan immigrants had been sent back to their country via Chaman border while more foreigners residing illegally in Karachi and other areas of Sindh were arriving in Quetta.
During his media talk after Afghan Consul General Gul Hassan called on him, the minister said Pakistan was giving all respect to the Afghans who were returning to their native country after enjoying state hospitality.
The minister also disclosed that Nadra had blocked a total of over 110,000 suspected national identity cards in Quetta and border district of Chaman. “Around 70,000 [cards] in Chaman and 40,000 [cards were suspended] in Quetta,” he said, adding that Nadra was investigating this matter.
Mr Achakzai said 1.7 million Afghan refugees had been receiving hospitality in Pakistan for past 40 years, and they would continue to get that in the future as well. Referring to his discussion with Afghan diplomat, the minister said, “It was agreed [in the meeting] to increase the bilateral engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Mr Achakzai said he took him into confidence on the repatriation process, assuring him that Pakistan being a hospitable country would continue to provide shelter to Afghan refugees. “Afghans are our brothers and we are not going to abandon our culture of hospitality. There are about 1.7 million ‘illegal immigrants’ in Pakistan. Those who have a UNHCR card will not be worried at all,” he explained.
The minister said the state decided to expel illegal foreigners only, as Pakistan had every right to make its own policies and implement its decisions as an independent state.