A committee under the supervision of Rustam Shah Mohmand, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, will be constituted and will submit its recommendations which will be approved from the K-P Assembly and then sent to the federal government.
The chief minister expressed these views while briefing journalists on Tuesday after the K-P government and parliamentary leaders of the provincial assembly held a meeting over the issue of Afghan refugees.
“The federal government has given us directions that those Afghan nationals, who are registered, can stay until December. They are our guests and we welcome them,” he said.
Regarding unregistered Afghan refugees, he said the federal government has decided that they will not be disturbed until November 15.
“We have decided today that if an unregistered Afghan national is apprehended in any operation up till November 15, the police will not register an FIR against him or her. If anyone can assure his or her identity, then the police will warn them to register themselves,” he added.
Khattak said after November 15, the K-P government will act on whatever decision the federal government makes regarding their future.
For properties
About the properties of Afghan refugees, the chief minister said, “We are getting complaints regarding their properties’ future as people are buying them at throwaway prices. We have to make a plan on streamlining the matter and secure their properties from being auctioned. We have to guarantee that they are treated like Pakistanis.”
Meanwhile, a committee under the supervision of Rustam Shah Mohmand, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, will be constituted and will submit its recommendations which will be approved from the K-P Assembly and then sent to the federal government.
The chief minister categorically cleared his government’s position over the issue. He said K-P has never tried to put pressure on Afghan refugees to leave the province and move back to their own country.
Increase in influx
He cited three reasons for the increase in influx of Afghan nationals, saying their number have risen over the last three months. “Earlier, the border was not managed properly and they could come and go easily. Now, proper border management has started and they cannot come and go without documents,” he said.
The CM maintained the second reason is the commitment of Afghanistan’s ambassador in Pakistan. The latter assured Khattak in a meeting that he would visit Afghan refugees and ask them to go back to their own country. He said the assistance grant for refugees repatriating to Afghanistan has been increased and this could be a third reason behind the increased influx.
“The committee will give solid recommendations and we will make sure that we fulfill our responsibility,” he said.
Jamat-e-Islami’s Inayatullah Khan sought nationality for the refugees, but was rejected. “Out of 1.5 million refugees, 74% are those who were born and grew up in Pakistan, they should be given nationality of Pakistan,” he said, while talking to the media.
Awami National Party parliamentary leader in the assembly, Sardar Hussain Babak, said their party’s stance is very clear on this issue. “If you take out batons against them and ask them to leave this country when they have spent 40 years over here what message will they take? They will obviously have hatred against Pakistan.”
Babak said Afghanistan is a neighbour for an indefinite period and keeping enmities with neighbours is not good. He called for an immediate end to the harassment of refugees and called for an extension in their stay so that they can have time to wind up their business and properties before they can repatriate.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2016.
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