Hurdles for visitors: Police special branch inaccessible to Afghans
They have to go there for visa registration, argues Consul General Ibrahimkhel
Afghan migrants protest in Peshawar on Wednesday. PHOTO: NNI
PESHAWAR:
Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Syed Muhammad Ibrahimkhel, has voiced resentment over the hurdles created for Afghan nationals to access the office of the special branch of police at Shaheen Camp near Bacha Khan International Airport.
“Afghan nationals are banned from passing through the military check post on Khyber Road, due to which they cannot reach the visa registration desk at the special branch of police,” Ibrahimkhel told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. “The government needs to shift the desk to a place which is accessible to Afghan nationals.”
Since the past couple of years, Afghans visiting Pakistan on a valid visa are told to report and register at the special branch of police. However, now the registration process has become more difficult as they cannot pass the military check post at Khyber Road to get to the special branch.
Security has been beefed up at most of the military check posts set up around the Cantonment area in Peshawar, making commuting difficult not only for Afghans, but for locals as well.
When contacted for comments, army officials justified the ban saying such measures are taken in light of security threats.
Ibrahimkhel said the previous government had said the registration desk would be shifted to University Road, Nishtarabad or any other place on Jamrud Road, but this has yet to happen.
If the desk is shifted to an accessible place, Afghans visiting Pakistan for purposes of health and education would be rid of hurdles.
Although security in and around the city is on high-alert since a long time, further measures were taken in the wake of the terrorist attack on Army Public School on December 16, 2014.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2015.
Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Syed Muhammad Ibrahimkhel, has voiced resentment over the hurdles created for Afghan nationals to access the office of the special branch of police at Shaheen Camp near Bacha Khan International Airport.
“Afghan nationals are banned from passing through the military check post on Khyber Road, due to which they cannot reach the visa registration desk at the special branch of police,” Ibrahimkhel told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. “The government needs to shift the desk to a place which is accessible to Afghan nationals.”
Since the past couple of years, Afghans visiting Pakistan on a valid visa are told to report and register at the special branch of police. However, now the registration process has become more difficult as they cannot pass the military check post at Khyber Road to get to the special branch.
Security has been beefed up at most of the military check posts set up around the Cantonment area in Peshawar, making commuting difficult not only for Afghans, but for locals as well.
When contacted for comments, army officials justified the ban saying such measures are taken in light of security threats.
Ibrahimkhel said the previous government had said the registration desk would be shifted to University Road, Nishtarabad or any other place on Jamrud Road, but this has yet to happen.
If the desk is shifted to an accessible place, Afghans visiting Pakistan for purposes of health and education would be rid of hurdles.
Although security in and around the city is on high-alert since a long time, further measures were taken in the wake of the terrorist attack on Army Public School on December 16, 2014.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2015.