Rents soar in Rawalpindi with influx of Afghan refugees

Intelligence agencies’ report warns of socio-economic ramifications of immigrants

RAWALPINDI:

With an upsurge in the arrival of Afghan refugees, rents of houses, apartments and shops in Rawalpindi have gone up to an all-time high, creating problems for locals.

Sources said that a detailed report prepared by intelligence agencies on the extraordinary arrival of Afghan refugees, which has created an alarming situation in the garrison city, has been sent to the Punjab government to take stock of the issue.

A large number of Afghan refugees have reached Rawalpindi via Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the report, the influx of Afghan refugees has put an extraordinary burden on the city's resources and crimes have increased while the tenancy system has almost buckled and as a result, locals were facing severe hardships in getting affordable houses.

Sources said that the Afghan refugees have acquired rented houses in different parts of the city, which has not only disrupted the tenancy system but also put the city's resources under severe pressure.

A large number of Afghan refugees have settled in the areas of New Katarian, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Hazara Colony, Khayabane-Sir Syed, Misryal, Chakra Naiabadi, Golra Mor, Tarnol, Fateh Jhang Road, Taxila, Wah Cantonment, Sadiqabad, Satellite Town, Dhok Matkial Boring Road and other areas.

The report said that the extraordinary influx of Afghan refugees has disrupted the tenancy system as most Afghan refugees were able to pay higher rents which the local low-income group people could not afford to.

According to the report, the rents of houses and shops have increased by 400 per cent after the arrival of the Afghan refugees.

The influx of Afghan refugees has led to a steady increase in demand for water and food, which has led to a sharp rise in the prices of food items.

A large number of Afghan refugees have also started business in and around Rawalpindi, leading to a dramatic increase in the rent of shops.

The report has asked the Punjab government to take urgent steps to regulate the influx of Afghan refugees so that city's resources could be judiciously utilised.

The report said that with the arrival of refugees, Rawalpindi has seen an uptick in street crimes.

Due to a lack of a formal identification process, the arrival of Afghan refugees in Rawalpindi has been declared a matter of great concern. Sources said that the Punjab government would take a final decision on the report of intelligence agencies after which a database of Afghan refugees could be compiled.