26 people, including Afghan refugees, arrested near Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Around 26 people, including six Afghan refugees illegally residing near Peshawar, were arrested during a search operation by the police on Thursday.  

Police said that the operation was conducted in Landi Arbab, Achar and the Bahadar Kaly village in the limits of Banamarhi police stations.

Police also recovered 51 pistols, 10 repeaters and 1200 cartridges in the operation and registered FIRs against those arrested.

Afghans in Pakistan: Their home and hear belongs here

Since non-documented Afghan refugees are considered ‘a serious threat’ to the national security particularly after the December 16 brutal attack on APS in Peshawar, the government in Islamabad has kicked off a fresh crackdown against the illegal expatriates.

While considering them a serious security risk under its new policy being swiftly executed under the National Action Plan (NAP), the government has started a fresh crackdown against hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees who otherwise failed to produce legal documents, well-informed officials have said.

Read: Time to go home: Fresh crackdown to target unregistered Afghan refugees

Four diplomats were also picked up in dragnet arrests in University Town and surrounding areas.

After learning of the arrests, Afghan Consul General Syed Muhammad Ibrahimkhel rushed to the police station around 7am. From there, he established contact with high-ranking police officers. He reportedly told officials over the phone that such actions were against the Geneva Convention.

Read: Diplomatic vulnerability: Four Afghan Consulate officials among 28 arrested