City gears up to host 2,000 Afghan nationals, foreigners

Evacuees will make transitory stay near airport: commissioner’s office

KARACHI:

As the situation in Afghanistan worsens, the Karachi administration has started making arrangements to house evacuees including Afghan nationals and foreigners.

Around 2,000 persons fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban's takeover of the country are expected to arrive in the metropolis in the coming days, it emerged on Friday.

A letter issued by Karachi Commissioner Naveed Shaikh's office stated that the evacuees, who are "expected to stay in transit in Karachi for the next few days," will be housed in the vicinity of Jinnah International Airport.

"Deputy Commissioner Malir is requested to make adequate arrangements on emergency basis in the vicinity of the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi for the boarding, lodging, transport and security of Afghan nationals and foreigners for transit purpose in coordination with Provincial Disaster Management Authority and law enforcing agencies [sic]," stated the letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune.

The letter, dated August 26, mentioned that around 2,000 Afghan nationals and foreigners are expected to arrive. "They will come by air," confirmed an official privy to the development. But, no one has reached yet, he added.

For the stay, three locations have been identified, namely the Airport Hotel, Ramada Hotel and Marquees - all located near the airport.

The letter directed all relevant authorities including the Sindh health department, the Federal Investigation Agency and the K-Electric to make necessary arrangements in coordination with the Malir district administration as per decisions taken in a meeting held at Corps V Headquarters on Thursday (August 26).

Sources privy to the developments told The Express Tribune that all arrangements have been finalised as the refugees are expected at any time.

On Thursday night, two blasts at the Kabul airport, where hundreds of Afghan nationals desperately trying to flee the country and US troops and nationals stood, killed nearly a 100 people and wounded hundreds of others. A series of subsequent blasts reported across Kabul added to the chaos.

Read More: Pakistan accepts request to host people leaving Afghanistan

Over 20 decades of conflict, Karachi has become home to reportedly over 300,000 Afghan refugees, most of whom work as laborers or own small shops mainly in Pashtun-dominated areas. In the wake of the current situation, the Sindh government had categorically denied Afghan nationals in the province. However, after the commissioner's letter came to light no official, including Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab, the commissioner and the Malir deputy commissioner were available for comment despite several attempts to approach them.

On social media, even as sympathy for the situation in Afghanistan was prevalent, some activists condemned the government's decision to host more evacuees but others pointed out that the stay is transitory and not permanent.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2021.