Afghan refugees evicted

PESHAWAR: The district administration demolished an Afghan refugee camp at Pajjagi Road on Friday. Around 1,200 houses were razed to the ground during the drive.

Peshawar DC Riaz Mehsud told journalists the deadline to evacuate the camp was April 30. After the deadline went by unmet, Assistant Commissioner Fawad Khan, Additional Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Shoaib, Peshawar Afghan Refuge Administrator Saddique Ahmad and local police reached the site on Friday and directed the refugees to vacate their  houses.  All construction, which was on approximately 500 kanals of land, was then demolished. Mehsud explained nearly 1,200 houses had been constructed on valuable land.

The DC said local police officials were directed to cordon off the area using barbed wire after the eviction and to restrict anyone from settling back on the land. Those who try to violate this will be arrested, added Mehsud. Officials of the DC’s office could not be contacted for comments on alternative arrangements made for these refugees.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2015.