K-P may expell 294 Afghan prayer leaders soon: sources

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has issued directions to expel 294 Afghan prayer leaders from different mosques across the province.

Sources in the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department revealed that the department has issued directions to the commissioners and police officials in the province to expel the ‘Afghan Peshimams’ of different mosques across the province, including the capital city Peshawar.

Sources added that police have removed 58 Afghan prayer leaders from mosques, while the information of 294 Afghan prayer leaders has been provided to police and district commissioners, directing them to expel the imams within a week, the progress of which shall be reported to the home department.

The Home and Tribal Affairs Department’s spokesperson, however, denied of any such development.

Abdul Kamal, an additional secretary at the department also said that he was unaware about any specific action against prayer leaders.

“In the Cabinet meeting it was decided that action should be taken against Afghans who are not registered with the government under Section-14 of the Foreign Act,” he said. “I don’t know about any other specific action.”

Kamal added that under the cabinet decision, no matter what their profession is, unregistered Afghans have to be dealt under the Foreign Act.