Relations at stake: Pakistan mistreating refugees, say Taliban

Rare criticism comes amid reports of police crackdown on refugees in K-P following attack on Army Public School

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban have criticised Pakistan for what it called “mistreatment” of refugees in Pakistan and warned that it could have a negative impact on relations between the two countries.

The rare criticism came amid reports that police in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have launched a crackdown on the refugees following the attack on the Army Public School.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan asks Pakistan authorities to restrain those police and security officials wantonly mistreating the refugees,” the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

He also called for the immediate release of the detained refugees “so that they can return to their normal lives and ensure that no further innocent refugees are detained or mistreated”.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2015.