Eviction notice: Afghan refugees must relocate within 15 days from Abbottabad

Forced eviction imminent if they fail to comply with orders in next 15 days

ABBOTABAD: Authorities of the Cantonment Board Abbottabad (CBA) have decided to evict all Afghan refugees living or working within the limits of CBA, officials privy to the matter said on Monday. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting with CBA Chairman and Abbottabad Station Commander Brigadier Mukhtar. CBA CEO Firasat Ali Shah, CBA Vice Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Gujjar and members also attended the meeting. According to the directive, Afghan refugees must relocate their businesses and homes elsewhere.

The decision was taken to follow up on the previous directive issued on October 2, where Afghan refugees were asked to relocate within 30 days. According to officials at the meeting, the decision was also taken due to security reasons and to allow locals an opportunity in the otherwise monopolised market.

One last warning

“After a threadbare discussion and previous warning was given to them, the CBA authorities have issued one last warning to Afghan refugees, asking all of them, registered or unregistered, living or running a business in the revenue limits of CBA, to relocate to their camps”, Gujjar told the media present at the meeting.

Participants at the meeting decided not to exercise leniency in the matter as their stay could harm the security situation in the city. It was also decided at the meeting to take legal action, involving forced eviction of refugees if they failed to comply with orders within the next 15 days, starting December 14.

The deputy commissioner has also reportedly banned people from renting houses and shops to Afghan refugees under Section 144 of CrPC, insiders familiar to the matter told The Express Tribune.

Over the years

Abbottabad witnessed a major influx of Afghan refugees in the last two decades. Apart from other residential areas, Afghan refugees have established their businesses in Mandiyan, Supply Bazaar, College Road, Jhugiyan, Nariyan and other areas in the CBA limits. The population of Afghans outnumbers locals in Jhugiyan Bazaar.

Locals have long been protesting and demanding the repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan. Many say refugees must be sent back to the camps till a final decision on their repatriation is taken. In the recent past, the city witnessed tension between the Afghan refugees and locals, especially when a couple of murders took place in the city in the last three months.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2015.