Afghan migrants protest in Peshawar on Wednesday. PHOTO: NNI
“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.
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@ishrat salim: For God sake.. you didn't accept them, you were forced to accept them plus you had your own interests in accepting them. You have ruined their country which is a know fact today! You did this for those who have left you alone and are visiting India now a days! lets be honest and accept the fact that we have created this whole mess for ourselves and poor Afghans.
@A Peshawary:
Stay there if you feel more comfortable to live & work in Afghanistan. They have caused us more trouble than anyone else...we had been nice to them by accepting 3 million refugees & even allowed them to work inside the country...what else you want...it would have been better if we had treated them like the Iranians did...put them in a camp & not allow them to go to the city or town....
Good please don't come back . As we are preparing to send back the more leftovers of Afgans
I am a Pakistani living on a valid visa in Afghanistan for more than seven years. I have never been asked for police registration by Afghan authorities. There is counter on entry point on Afghanistan side, any Pakistani coming to Afghanistan can get a registration card on this counter without any problem and botheration. I am witness to Afghans paying Rs 500/- each at entry point on Pakistan side for special branch registration. I would request media to cover the stamping of entry at the both on Pakistan and Afghan side to inhuman treatment on the Pakistan side and respectable and human treatment on Afghan side.
Believe u me I am witness to taking Rs 100 in most or the cases for just putting entry stamp on valid visa issued to Afghan. There is no such thing on Afghan side. Whenever, I cross the border which very frequent by the way; I feel ashamed to be a Pakistani for the treatment been given on the Pakistani side by all agencies namely, Immigration, FC soldiers, Khasa dars.
A Peshawary