
Earlier on August 2, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa department of Home and Tribal Affairs had directed Commissioner Malakand division to probe reports that locals from Chitral were joining the Afghan National Army (ANA).
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Chitral Rehmatullah Wazir confirmed to The Express Tribune that about 14 residents of Bamborit and Rambur areas of Kalash valley have appeared before him.
He added that some other people from the area were still working with the Afghan government, and the local elders have assured the district administration that they will return within a month. However, he said that most of these people were working with the Afghan border police and doing other menial jobs.
Wazir said that the agencies will investigate those who have returned.
He also said that notices will be issued to those who will not return during the stipulated time, and action will be taken against them. However, Wazir also pointed out that these people lived on the border and have interaction on both sides, and were engaged in small jobs.
Those who appeared before the district administration on Saturday were identified as Qudratullah, Habibullah, Abdur Rashid, Suliman, Khalil, Ziaur Rehman, Barat, Abdul Wahab, Rehmatuddin, Mohammad Yousaf, Feroz Khan, Shafiqur Rehman, Musalmaan and Abdur Rashid.
About 20 others are still said to be carrying out jobs in Afghanistan.
The returning men reportedly told the district administration that they were poor people and had gone to Afghanistan for better paying jobs. They demanded the government to provide them with jobs.
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