Shown the door: Afghan clerics, teachers to be expelled from K-P

Directives issued to all relevant authorities, says secretary home and tribal affairs

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has accelerated its counterterrorism policy’s implementation and decided to expel all Afghan clerics, seminary teachers and prayer leaders from the province.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Home and Tribal Affairs Secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah said the decision was taken during the previous government’s tenure and the incumbent government has merely decided to hasten the implementation. “Directives have been issued to civil administration and law-enforcement bigwigs in 25 districts of the province,” he added.



Although Shah refused to divulge details, sources privy to the matter say around 226 institutions have employed Afghan ulema, khateebs and teachers. In light of the aforementioned decision, these Afghan nationals have been directed to vacate their positions or face legal action.

Leaders belonging to different religious parties in the province had earlier announced to resist the government’s call. Office bearers of Wafaqul Madaris, the national association of madrassas, have already decided to contest the decision and termed it part of the “propaganda to tarnish the reputation of mosque schools”.

Shah said the tabulation of data on all foreigners, associated in any way with religious seminaries, is already under way. Upon completion and scrutiny, further directives will be issued to the relevant authorities, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2014.