JI calls for joint body to send back Afghans

Siraj urges both countries to chalk out plan for their ‘dignified’ return

PESHAWAR:

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday said the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan should form a joint commission for the “dignified” return of Afghan refugees to their homeland and chalk out a strategy agreed upon by both sides for this purpose.

“Pakistan has been hosting the Afghans for several years. Expelling them on an emergency basis will boost the morale of the common enemies of both the countries, giving them an opportunity to spread propaganda and conspiracies,” Siraj told the media at the JI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial headquarters in Peshawar.

The JI chief cautioned that the manner in which a crackdown had been launched against Afghans residing in Pakistan without any preparation would increase the lack of trust between the two countries.

“This issue should be resolved in consultation with the Afghan government,” he advised to the Pakistani authorities.
Siraj maintained that currently there was a stable and strong government in Afghanistan.

He added that the neighbouring country’s peace and economic conditions were also improving. “Therefore, any Afghan citizen residing in Pakistan who voluntarily wants to return to his country should be welcomed,” he continued.

Read Deportation pushing Pak-Afghan ties to the edge

However, he observed that forcing them out of Pakistan was inappropriate.

The JI chief said the Pakistani government should assess the situation related to Afghan refugees as well as those without legal documents and adopt a respectful strategy to address the issue.

He claimed that that the situation resulting from the government's “flawed” strategy to evict “illegal foreigners” was deplorable.

Siraj maintained that the tales of caravans of Afghans returning to their homeland were “terrifying”. He added that Afghan women and children had been staying in vehicles from Karkhano Market to Torkham border without food as well as other necessities of life for many days.

“This is against the basic principles of humanity,” he regretted.

Siraj was accompanied by former provincial minister and JI K-P deputy chief Inayatullah Khan as well as provincial Information secretary Syed Jamaat Ali Shah on the occasion.

Pakistan expects that the process to repatriate an estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghans will complete in a year as the government is in no mood to review its decision.

Read more Locals not to rent property to illegal Afghans

After the expiry of the deadline for all such illegal migrants on November 1, authorities have stepped up their drive to deport undocumented Afghans.

The number of Afghans who have left the country so far is more than 200,000.

Scrambling to cope with the sudden influx, the Taliban-run administration in Afghanistan said temporary transit camps had been set up, and food and medical assistance would be provided, but relief agencies reported dire conditions across the border.

The UN and other human rights organisations have raised concerns over Pakistan’s policy. The Kabul government too criticised Islamabad, demanding that it must stop “harassing” its nationals.