Gandapur criticises govt's Afghan policy

Urges govt to offer citizenship to Afghan migrants instead of expelling them

PESHAWAR:

Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), has called on the government to grant citizenship to Afghan nationals instead of deporting them.

"Afghan refugees are our neighbors. We once welcomed them with open arms, but now we are following a failed policy," Gandapur, a senior PTI leader, said on Sunday while addressing a press conference after hosting an Iftar dinner at the K-P Chief Minister's House.

On March 9, Pakistan issued a 24-day deadline for Afghan migrants to leave the country voluntarily, warning that those who remain after March 31 will face forced deportation, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

The directive applies to holders of the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) as well as all undocumented Afghan nationals. The statement further warned that starting April 1, authorities would launch a nationwide operation to expel remaining Afghan migrants.

"Holders of the ACC must leave Pakistan by March 31, 2025. All undocumented foreign nationals and ACC holders are advised to exit voluntarily before this deadline. The deportation process will commence on April 1, 2025," the statement read.

Speaking on the issue, Gandapur strongly opposed the deportation of Afghans, calling it an undignified approach. He urged the government to reconsider its decision and avoid forced removals.

"I oppose the expulsion of Afghans residing in our province. Terms of Reference (TORs) have been sent to the ministries of foreign affairs and interior for negotiations with Afghanistan, but no response has been received yet. Meanwhile, my proposal for talks was criticized and taken as a joke."

Gandapur also criticized the federal government, blaming its incompetence for the deteriorating security situation in K-P and Balochistan.

"They must review and change their policies; otherwise, it won't take long for conditions similar to those of 1971 to emerge," he warned.

He further alleged that the establishment had put everything at stake just to suppress one political party—PTI. Gandapur rejected claims that PTI founder Imran Khan was responsible for the country's current crisis.

Discussing his government's financial performance, the chief minister stated that when his administration took charge, there wasn't even enough money to pay 15 days' worth of government salaries.

"Now, we have a surplus of Rs169 billion. We have cleared Rs72 billion in dues, increased resources by 55%, and reduced the province's debt from Rs552 billion to Rs50 billion. We have also initiated investments in various sectors, including Rs167 billion in the power sector."

During Ramazan, he said, the government distributed Rs20 billion among the underprivileged, doubled children's stipends, and increased zakat payments from Rs12,000 to Rs25,000.