Landlords held for renting homes to Afghans

RAWALPINDI:

The noose has tightened around illegally residing Afghan nationals in Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas, as police have begun taking action against local landlords who rented property to Afghan residents despite an official ban.

According to sources, 20 separate cases have been registered under the Foreigners Act and the Punjab Information of Temporary Resident Act, 2015.

Police confirmed that more than 70 Afghan nationals have been detained and shifted to the holding centre for deportation.

In one case, Chaudhry Adil of Morgah rented a house to an Afghan national, Muhammad Amin, and his family. Similarly, in Wah Cantt, Umar Ali rented accommodation to Afghan resident Bakhtiyar, while in Jatli, Azhar rented his house to an Afghan national, Zahid Khan. All three Afghan families have been taken into custody and shifted to the holding centre.

Police have also initiated raids to arrest the landlords involved. Similar cases have been registered in other police stations, including Ratta, Rawat, Gujar Khan, Dhamial, Taxila, Civil Lines, Naseerabad, Pirwadhai, Waris Khan, and Banni.

Rawalpindi police are making public announcements through mosques and public address systems, warning citizens not to rent property to any illegally residing Afghan national.

A senior police officer told The Express Tribune, on condition of anonymity, that detained Afghan nationals are being thoroughly screened at the holding centres. After completing necessary legal formalities, they are transported under police security to camps near the Torkham border, from where the FIA deport them in phases.