The Federal Board of Revenue, in collaboration with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department, will verify and then take action to block the sale of property to Afghans in Pakistan, it has been learnt. The board will also form a strategy for property that has already been sold.
In a statement issued by the province’s home and tribal affairs department, it was said that the board of revenue will ‘expedite’ the verification of the home department’s order to block all land transactions of Afghans who live in Pakistan. In addition, the Board of Revenue will identify property sold to Afghan nationals and share the findings with the home department to take necessary action.
The original decision was taken by a special meeting of the provincial cabinet, held on January 30 under the Afghan Management and Repatriation Strategy. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Home Secretary Azam Khan said that his department was waiting for the decision to be made by the board of revenue as to what would be done once the details of Afghan property owners come to light.
“It’s not clear at the moment whether their property will be confiscated and turned into the property of the state. We are waiting for the board of revenue (to take a decision),” he said, adding that according to a similar order in 1982, Afghans were not permitted to buy property in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (20)
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What about all the US and UK citizens buying properties in PAK.
What if the afghan marries a PAK citizen.
What if the property was already duly registered by the state?
How many of the afghan refugees are wealthy enough to buy properties to settle in PAK permanently?
Assimilation and repatriation should be the policy to solve the crisis.
This ANP government has done to the most to damage Pak Pashtun to Afghan relations. Illegal or legal, the Afghans contribute to the economy and are hardly a drain on it. Plus, they are Afghans and Muslims and Pakistan is as much of a home to them as the rest of Pakistanis. They should be made citizens and if or when their homeland experiences peace they would return themselves.
@mani....afghans can buy property in Pakistan by issuing legal tender (money)...but since they themselves are here illegally...they cannot legalize their status by owning a house. No illegal immigrant can own property in Europe.
why?
Its not right. A Pakistani can buy a property in europe why an afghani can not buy propery in pak. if he buys through legal means and documents
nice move....
On the eve of Karzai visit? We certainly lack tact.
These boundaries are man made.God created the universe as he created us.So everyone should be allowed to buy anything anywhere regardless of their nationality.Islam does not recognise political boundaries.
Afghans are our brothers & a proper mechanism should be developed which confroms with Gov. requirements & would not added to the misery of poor afghans living here......though they strom our embassy when they like.... :)
That is the mindset of Pakistanis. We support Palestines, Afghans and Kashmirs but will not allow them to purchase land and settle in Pakistan. What about the people migrated from India after partition?
And i thought Afghans are your brothers :(
Demand for middle-men will increase exponentially. There are many Afghans who are on a spending spree in cities like Lahore and Karachi due to the unstable situation in Afghanistan
zia would have passed an ordinance...only Pakistanis and afghans can buy property in Pakistan
Good. If Afghans want to own property, they should leave Pakistan and go back and contribute to their own country.
Imagine a country like Pakistan, perpetually on its knees, broke, corrupt, and can't even take care of its own....is home to the largest population of refugees IN THE WORLD. You can take that as a sign of unending benevolence...or unending stupidity.
No problem you can purchase Pakistani ID CARDS
Shame on our Govt.
No No No. It's not wrong as far as overtures to Afghan government but we all know it won't serve any purpose except make their life more miserable their condition is not their own doing
Discrimination! Confiscating their property is so wrong!
What? I thought this was already in the law that non-citizens cannot purchase property in Pakistan. Silly me!