There is another alarming report in the press that the governments of Pakistan Afghanistan, besides UNHCR, have jointly prepared a comprehensive policy to be announced by UNHCR soon that would allow Pakistani citizenship to those Afghan who would invest an amount of Rs five crores in Pakistan. Nevertheless, such persons will have to abandon Afghan nationality whereas this offer will be effective after 2012.
Furthermore, those Afghanis who are already living in Pakistan, they would get work visa for five years in case they would invest Rs fifty lakhs in Pakistan as stated in the package.
Giving Afghans Pakistan’s nationality is highly alarming as it would have adverse repercussions on Pakistan in the long run. Many of them indulge in narcotics and illegal arms and ammunition besides smuggling business. Therefore, such a package is bound to add only miseries to Pakistan. The record shows they would settle in big cities, like Karachi and Lahore, which are already treated as sensitive cities due to various reasons.
I appeal to the Pakistan government to revise this policy towards Afghan refugees and all efforts should be made to send them back to their country as soon as possible. And the decision to grant them nationality and extension of their visas must be taken back in the national interests.
MOHAMMAD KHAN SIAL
Karachi