A show of hospitality?: ‘Pakistani IDPs in Afghanistan are at home’

Ministry of State and Frontier Regions rejected Kabul’s claim, denying that 100,000 people had sought refuge.


Tahir Khan September 01, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has told a group of Pakistanis who crossed the western border after being displaced as a result of the military operation in North Waziristan that they are “in their own country”.

In July, the UNHCR said more than 75,000 had sought shelter in the Khost and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan following Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Later, UNHCR and Afghan authorities claimed nearly 100,000 people had arrived in Afghanistan.

However, Ministry of State and Frontier Regions quickly rejected Kabul’s claim, denying that 100,000 people had sought refuge in the neighbouring country.

Of the nearly one million people displaced by the operation, most have been residing in Bannu, DI Khan and Kohat among other districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Hosting the displaced persons at the Presidential Palace on Sunday, Karzai assured them of provision of all facilities. “You are at your own homes and you will live here like owners,” a statement released from the Presidential Palace on Monday quoted Karzai as saying.

The Afghan president assured the displaced tribesmen that his government will take care of education and health along with other requirements and facilities for their children.

Pakistani officials say many people from North Waziristan who crossed into Afghanistan have now started returning.

Senior official at the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions Tariq Hayat Khan, who is also the focal person for IDPs, said the displaced people are coming back through Kurram Agency.

He added some families had crossed the border in Khost as Miranshah and Bannu had been off limits due to the curfew when the operation started. He claimed those who have returned from Afghanistan are getting the same facilities as the other displaced persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2014.

COMMENTS (12)

Roman khan wazir | 9 years ago | Reply

maybe Karzai and afghanistan have become pretty strong now so they should take their refugees back now and most of the idps have returned as my uncle told me but not sure who remained behind..

Moiz Omar | 9 years ago | Reply

@Sri Varahadev: Yeah. Never going to happen.

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